August 19. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
LYCOPODIUM. 
(Continued from page 203.) 
A day or two ago, wo saw, in a lady’s parlour, a very 
! ingenious and pretty use to which the Lycopodium apo- 
dim was applied. Long, oval-slmped, ornamental pots, 
i or, perhaps, they might be dignified with the names of 
I vases, about six inches deep, as much across, and fifteen 
inches long, were well-filled with soil, and some wide¬ 
necked glass bottles plunged nearly up to the rim in it. 
Then the surface was planted with the Lycopod, and 
completely covered with it. The vases had saucers of j 
the same form; in these they were placed; this pre¬ 
vented the water, when applied to the soil, from drop¬ 
ping upon the carpet or lioor of the room. The glass 
bottles were to contain cut flowers; and in the instance 
we saw they did so, and certainly had a novel and very 
pleasing effect, having much the appearance of minia¬ 
ture flower-beds upon a tiny, beautiful, green lawn. 
The vases were made of the material called terra cotta, 
and would last for years, if not broken by accident. 
This idea, we think, might be carried out to a great 
extent. Why not have the vases made larger, and the 
spaces where the bottles are filled up with plants in 
pots grown in a frame or greenhouse for the purpose, 
brought in when in flower, and renewed when the 
bloom is over ? Plunged in this way, and the surface 
covered with the pretty green Lycopod, very little water 
would be necessary, and the roots of the plants would 
be then protected from the drying influence of the air 
in the room. The flowers would last much longer in 
perfection, and every bud would bloom. The vases 
might be made of any material combining elegance of 
form and durability, such, for instance, as glass, or cast 
iron, painted of various colours. 
Lycopodiums may be used, also, to cover the borders : 
of a conservatory or greenhouse. This has been done 
in many places at different gentlemen's seats, and in 
such a situation they are always admired, the green 
being so fresh and beautiful. We grow some of the 
drooping species in ornamental or rustic baskets with 
the happiest effect. In particular, we have some made 
of glass of a circular form; these are large enough to 
contain a sufficient body of soil to supply them with 
nutriment. The kind used is the very ornamental Ly¬ 
copodium stoloniferum. One specimen of this species 
measured a foot across, as much high, and drooped 
considerably over the edge of the glass vase, and was 
deservedly much admired. 
The following is a list of principal known species:—• 
Lycopodium apodurn (Footless Lycopod).—This is the 
most dwarf-growing of the genus, and is very suitable 
to grow, either in vases or in pots. It is universally \ 
admired, but requires a high degree of heat and 
moisture to grow it to perfection. 
L. apotliecium (Unsporecased L), is also very dwarf, j 
This is nearly hardy, but grows best in moderate heat. 
Ij. circinatum (Circular L.).—So named from its habit j 
of growth ; the shoots grow round a kind of root-stock, 
push forth at first horizontally, then bend upwards in a 
circular manner, having then much the appearance of a 
bird’s-nest. Very beautiful, but tender, requiring the 
heat of the stove all the year. 
Ij. cordatum syn. cuspidntum (Heart-shaped-leaved 
L.).—Equally beautiful as the last, but of a more 
straggling growth, requiring to be trained with a stick 
in the centre, and each branch drawn towards it, so as 
to form a neat, low* bush. 
j Ij. cccsium (Grey Ij.). —Of this species we have 
already written. Its rich blue-green colour can only be 
brought fully out in the shade. The sun turns it green, 
| frequently brown. 
L. cccsium arboreum, syn. Wildenovii, of Hooker.—A 
i fine variety, or, perhaps, species. We have seen, a few 
days ago, a fine specimen trained to the trellis on the 
back wall of the orchid-house of H. Wheat, Esq., at 
Norwood Hall, near Sheffield. It was in a shady situa¬ 
tion, and the colour of the foliage was very rich and 
pleasing, much more than we ever saw it before. For 
this purpose it seems well adapted. 
L. denticulatum (Toothed L.).—A well-known useful 
species, suitable for covering the borders in a green¬ 
house, or to grow in pots in shady places. This species 
has lived through a mild winter in the open air, in 
several places, on shady rock-work. A very useful, 
easily-propagated species. 
L. diclwtomum (Two-branched L.).—Very pretty, but 
rather scarce. 
L. flabulare (Slender L.).—A drooping species, with 
slender branches, of a pale green colour. 
L. Galeottii (Galeott’s L.).—A haudsome, upright¬ 
growing species, worthy of being in every collection, 
though but little known, and very scarce. 
L. lepidophyllum (Scale-leaved L.).—This is the most 
tiny of the genus, a wine-glass will cover the largest 
plant. It is curiously pretty, and is the most rare of all 
the tribe. A gem indeed, but requires stove heat con¬ 
stantly. 
L. Scliottii (Schott’s).—A very quick-growing plant, 
of the most drooping habit, and consequently most 
suitable to trail over rock-work. 
L. stoloniferum (Runner-bearing L.).—This forms a 
handsome pot-plant, branching, rather drooping, but if 
the central stem is tied to a stick, the branches droop all 
round, and it then forms a little weeping tree. 
T. Appleby. 
{To be continued.) 
THE HOLLYHOCK. 
This old-fashioned ornament of our gardens for 
several years has been almost jostled out of the ranks of 
fashionable flowers by its more manageable competitor, 
the Dahlia. Twenty or thirty years ago, the Hollyhock 
was all but banished as a flower not worthy to be cared 
for, much less improved, or, indeed, grown at all, i 
especially by the scientific, or, perhaps wo might say, 
fantastic florist. The cause, if not a capricious or false 
taste, was, perhaps, the extreme capability of the 
Dahlia for improvement. As soon as this was discovered, 
every florist, great and small, rushed to the diggings. 
The word is now so familiar that it will be understood if 
applied to any pursuit by which gold may be obtained. 
Well, raising new Dahlias was quite the fever, and this 
excitement raged through the length and breadth of the 
land. Acres upon acres of seedlings were planted, and 
seed saved in abundance, with judicious care, for which 
English florists are so remarkable. Girling, at Stow- 
market, Widnall, at Cambridge, and Levick, at Sheffield, 
were, perhaps, the most successful in their day in the 
Dahlia diggings, and they had their reward. Through 
these earnest and zealous efforts the Dahlia became 
the flower of the day. It was not uncommon to give 
4:30 or 4'50 for the stock of tlie-then-thought-the-best 
Dahlia in the world. Now this Dahlia fever almost 
banished the aspiring Hollyhock from the gardens of the 
florists; but time, the great modifier, softened the rage 
both in favour of the Dahlia, and disfavour of the 
Hollyhock ;—the latter began to creep up again ; being 
first thought worthy to occupy a place amongst the 
shrubs, or behind the favoured rival. Some less ardent 
lovers of the Dahlia began to collect the best double 
Hollyhocks, observed points of floral excellence in them, 
and where wanting, began to endeavour to produce 
them. Success somewhat unexpectedly rewarded these 
efforts. Cbater, of Saffron Walden, Bircham, and 
some florists near Edinburgh, soon proved that the 
