221 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY 
2. I have uo doubt the heating is ample for having 
Grapes in August. I should he agreeably disappointed if 
the pipes would suffice for Grapes in May. Scottish 
nohlemen do not, in general, require these things early; 
and if they did, it would bo easy, in the present case, 
to add more piping if wanted. 
3. From the great surfaco of glass in these houses, 
and the dryness of the air in bright days frequently in 
1 spring, I should have liked to have seen some new and 
i superior means for moistening the atmosphere. In the 
greenhouse this was so far doue by keeping moss in a 
damp state beneath the stage, and in the houses by 
keeping the pathways and borders gently sprinkled; 
but there were no evaporating pans on the pipes. Of 
course, if deemed desirable, they could easily bo added. 
4. The seveu houses for Peaches and Vines respec¬ 
tively were destitute of anything like furnishing so as to 
accommodate other things ; there were not so much as a 
shelf in them. Mr. Mitchell had some splendid rows of 
pots of Strawberries along the sides of the houses, but 
; they stood on the top of the low wall that supported the 
building. Most gardeners would consider themselves 
fortunate, now-a-days, if they could keep every house 
to one definite purpose, though all would agree in the 
propriety of it if practicable. 
5. The Vines are trained up near the sides of the 
houses, and to go ovor the roof. The Pcacheries have 
no trellises nor means of support. They are planted 
out in the beds as dwarfs and standards, and intended 
to be grown in the bush or tree form. The trees looked 
nice and healthy. I have succeeded very well with 
standard Peaches before I was too covetous in shading 
them over-much with Vines. There is no shade but 
what they give each other here. Although I have no 
doubt the mode will answer, yet good Peaches aro so 
heavy as to require some support even on standards, or 
their weight will bring them close together so as to 
prevent their full exposure to sunshine. Knowing how 
well they do in such span-roofed houses trained up each 
side about fifteen or more inches from the glass, I should 
not have been inclined to have all the Peach-houses 
planted in the standard mode. 
If there are a few matters that jostle our preconceived 
notions, and, I may safely say, prejudices or inexperience, 
there can be no question that the work, as a whole, is 
a great honour to the designer, combining, as it does, 
novelty and elegance in arrangement, with convenience, 
fitness, and adaptation to the purposes contemplated. 
R. Fish. 
FLORISTS’ FLOWERS. 
THE HOLLYHOCK. 
In no class of florists’ flowers has there been more 
improvement than in the Hollyhock. Instead of the 
extravagantly tall, single-flowered varieties, such as were 
grown when I was a youth, we have them now with 
close spikes of beautifully-formed, compact, double 
flowers, averaging from four to six feet high, with clear 
colours ranging from pure white to nearly black, and 
lasting, as all double flowers do, much longer than 
! single ones. There is, however, the common drawback 
1 to all high-bred flowers, that they are less hardy than 
the old rough varieties, requiring more protection during 
the wet, damp weather in winter, or very severe frosts. 
Plants transplanted into the open ground in autumn 
aro very liable to damp off during the winter, more 
especially if the soil be of a stiff, wet, and, consequently, 
cold description. As the best kinds are valuable, it is 
a better plau to take them up and prune in the long, 
rambling roots, aud put them into as small pots as the 
roots can be got into. Any light, sandy soil will serve 
to pot them with. After they are potted, place them in 
GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION.— June 24,185C. 
a cold frame or pit, giving abundance of air in wet I 
weather, aud on fine, sunny days draw off the lights 
entirely; keep them dry rather than otherwise, and 
remove, as they occur, all decaying leaves. Indeed, at 
the time of potting, it will be advisable to cut clean off 
at the large leaves. Another advantage of adopting 
this protective measure is, that the ground may be well 
mauured with stable or cow-dung, and trenched deep 
during winter, laying it up in ridges to mellow and 
pulverize with the frost. By following these cultural 
hints, the rows will be full of equal-sized, good plants 
the following autumn, all flowering well, aud equal in 
beauty. 
Those amateurs, or others, who wish to have good 
blooming plants next year, would act wisely to order 
the sorts now, desiring them to be sent as soon as 
possible. On receiving them, repot them into larger 
pots, and nip off all flower-stems should any appear; 
then, in autumn, place them in a cold frame, or, if that 
convenience cannot be had, then plunge the pots in a 
raised bed of coal-ashes in a sheltered part of the 
garden, and protect with hoops aud oiled, strong canvass: 
the grand object is to keep them from heavy showers of 
rain or snow more than from frost. It is water frozen 
on or in the hearts of the plants that does the mischief, 
causing them to rot off close to the stem. In dry, 
gravelly soil very strong plants will live through winter 
if slightly protected with fern, or dry straw twisted 
round some short, stout sticks. Hollyhocks are pro¬ 
pagated by young stems divided into short lengths; 
also by short shoots slipped off the main plant. The 
cuttings should be inserted in sand round the edge of 
a six-inch pot, and placed in a gentle heat. The earlier 
in the year this propagation is performed, the stronger 
the plants will he, and more certain to flower the 
following season. The prices I mention are such as 
florists charge now. In the autumn they will be lower. 
Twelve Selected New Varieties. 
1. Beauty of Cheshunt (Paul).—Light rosy-red. A 
large flower, dense spike, and free grower. 
2. Criterion (Bircham).—A large, light flower, purple 
at the base, and thickly spotted, the centre full, guard 1 
leaves broad and round. A good distinct variety. 
3. Emily (Roake).—Transparent blush, smooth, full, 
and beautiful. 
4. Empress (Bircham).—Delicate primrose. A beauti 
ful and well-formed variety. 
5. Eugenie (Chater).—Saffron, delicately shaded, full, 
and fine. 
0. Eva (Roake).—Delicate light peach, large, smooth 
edges, well up in the centre. Most beautiful. 
7. Olory of Cheshunt (Paul).—A deep yellow, well- j 
formed variety. 
8. Hon. Mrs. Ashley (Roake).—Bright rosy-pink, l 
large flowers, and a close, compact spike. Extra. ) 
1). Lemonade (Bircham).—Palo canary colour, with 
a purple base; edges of the petals sometimes tinged 
with chocolate; smooth and full. A novel, beautiful 
variety. 
10. Omar Pacha (Bircham).—Straw colour, with 
chocolate base, and often beautifully laced with purple, 
thick petals, and a noble, dense spike. Distinct and 
novel. 
11. Purple Perfection (Bircham).—A clear self, of a 
light purple colour, excellent in form and substance. 
Quite distinct. 
12. Sir Charles Napier (Bircham).—Dark maroon 
velvet colour, very glossy, petals thick and smooth, and 
form excellent. 
Price 5s. to 10s. Od. each. 
Twelve Selected Older Varieties. 
1. Agricola (Paul).—Lemon colour, with maroon base. 
A good variety. 
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