1874. ] 
ERICA CODONODES.—THE NEW HOLLYHOCKS OF 1873 . 
53 
Muscats shrivelled a good deal. One other great advantage was, that there was 
comparatively speaking, no loss of berries, or hut very few, at the most. They did 
not average fifty during the whole time these fifty bunches were cut and in water, 
and where there happened to be a mouldy berry, it did not, in the dry room, affect 
the others, as is the case in the damper vinery. The bottles were placed on trussels 
in a leaning position, so that the Grapes hung over the boards, as shown in the 
accompanying sketch. 
I hope some of the readers of the Florist and Pomologist will give their 
experience as to keeping Muscats, as it is one thing to grow them well and another 
to keep them uninjured.— ^William Plester, Elsenham Hall Gardens. 
EKICA CODONODES. 
®HIS is a very pretty winter-blooming Heath, and well deserves extensive 
cultivation, being quite hardy and a profuse bloomer. We have several 
f plants which have been in bloom from the end of October last, and which 
are now (February 17) objects of great beauty. The habit is stiff and 
erect, similar to that of the greenhouse Erica hiemalis^ the flowers white, prettily 
tinted with bright pink on part of each flower. The plants have withstood the 
last six winters without the least protection, and the flowers seem to bear frost 
without injury to them. Altogether it is a very desirable plant for the winter 
garden, for which situation it is used here. It would also do well for conservatory 
work, as it far surpasses in beauty many of the small-flowered section of green¬ 
house heaths, such as E. Caffra nana^ and similar kinds.—H. Ohilman, Somerley. 
THE NEW HOLLYHOCKS OF 1873. 
HEEE is no falling-away in the work of improving the Hollyhock. This 
laudable task, which has enlisted the energies and given zeal to the enthu¬ 
siasm of some of the most accomplished of the florists of these as well as 
past days, never falters ; if one worker falls away from the path of progress, 
another steps in and takes the vacant place; and the unbroken march is pre¬ 
served to the end. 
Perhaps it was mainly owing to the accident of the adaptability of time, but 
it is a fact, that a greater number of New Hollyhocks than usual found their way 
to the meetings of the Eoyal Horticultural Society during the summer of last year ; 
and some idea of their high-class quality may be inferred, when it is stated that 
not less than eight varieties received First-Class Certificates of Merit. Of these, 
the following were raised by the Eev. Lord Hawke :— Catherine., deep flesh, the 
flower very full, and of a very pleasing soft hue of colour; Lilac Queen., bright rosy 
lilac, tinted with a pleasing silvery sheen, and forms a fine spike for exhibition 
purposes; Octavia., pale pink, with a deeper tint in the centre, a charming hue of 
colour,the flowers of fine quality; Red-Cross Knight., shining maroon-crimson,the 
fiowers large and of full substance, and very striking colour; Vanguard., blood- 
maroon, very bright, a noble spike for show purposes; and Willw'm (7/ta^er, a novel 
