72 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[Mat, 
(3 ser., t. 276), it may prove to be one of the 
species previously described by MM. Brongniart 
& Gris. In the meantime its great value for 
'decorative uses is incontestable. We are in¬ 
debted for the woodcut to the Compagnie 
Gpntinentale d’Horticulture.—T. Moore. 
THE HOLLYHOCK. 
THOUGH one of our finest autumn flowers, 
the Hollyhock has scarcely recovered 
from the check given to its cultivation 
by the terrible fungus scourge by which 
it was a few years ago decimated. Every effort 
should however be made to restore it to our 
.gardens, for in them we can ill afford to lose 
its stately beauty. 
The Hollyhock requires good old garden 
soil, well trenched over, to the depth of at 
least two feet, and plenty of thoroughly de¬ 
composed manure, such as old cucumber beds 
or decayed night soil, well mixed with the earth, 
must be incorporated. Young plants should 
be planted every year, to secm-e fine flowers. 
The young plants which have been propagated 
during the summer are best preserved by 
being placed in a cold frame or greenhouse, 
giving plenty of air on all favourable occasions ; 
they should be re-potted in October into larger 
pots, in light, rich, sandy earth ; and in March 
or April they should be turned out into the 
open ground. So treated, they will bloom as 
finely and as early as if planted out in the 
autumn. They should be planted at not less 
than four feet from row to row, and three feet 
apart in the row ; or if grouped in beds, not 
nearer than three feet each way. 
The Hollyhock will grow well in the shade 
of distant trees, but by no means must the 
roots of the trees rob them of their sustenance. 
In May or June, when the stems have grown a 
foot high, thin them out according to the 
crowded together, and take off the top of the 
spike according to the height desired, having 
regard to the usual height and habit of the 
plant. By topping the spike, the size of the 
flowers may be increased, but at the same time 
the duration of the flowering will be shortened. 
The plants must be staked before they get toO 
high, and well secured by tying, so that they 
may grow erect. The most robust of the 
varieties does not require a stake to be higher 
than about four feet above the surface of the 
ground. Abundance of water in dry weather 
is beneficial. 
It may be interesting to add, that the viru¬ 
lent disease which for some time threatened to 
drive the Hollyhock out of cultivation, and 
which is occasioned by the fungus, Pmcinia 
malvacearum, a native of Chili, was first seen 
in Europe in 1869, when the disease attacked 
the Mallows in Spain. We find it further 
stated that in four years it had spread along 
the Mediterranean coast as far east as Athens, 
and northward through France and the 
southern portions of Germany and England. 
In 1874 it invaded northern Gerruany, in 1875, 
Ireland, and in 1876, Hungary; in 1874 it 
also occurred in Finland, but with that ex¬ 
ception, its most northern continental point 
has been Konisberg in northern Prussia. 
The centre of greatest development is along 
the Rhine. It has found its way to Australia 
and the Cape of Good Hope, but is said not to 
have yet appeared in North America.—S. C. 
CULTURE OF WARSCEWICZELLAS. 
THE Warscewiczellas form a small group 
of Orchidaceous plants closely allied 
to the genera (or sub-genera) BvHea 
and Warrea, and require the same 
kind of treatment which is found successful 
with them. We have seen them grown and 
strength of the plant. If well established and thriving well under different methods, but 
very strong, two or three stems may be left, 
but if required for exhibition only one must 
-ibe allowed to grow on. If the weather is dry 
■ at this season of the year, the plants will be 
- benefited by being watered with a solution of 
•'•guano, or any; other liquid manure, poured 
, carefully around within reach of the roots, but 
.'.not too.near the stem. - y 
'order to.obtain very fine flowers, cut off 
-.f tho laterail : shoots, ”thin- the flower buds if 
nevertheless they are plants that require care¬ 
ful treatment, and must never be neglected. 
It is, for example, always necessary to give 
them close attention as regards the supply of 
moisture at the roots, for they have no thick 
fleshy pseudobulbs to afford them support 
should the artificial supply fail. 
They grow in tufts of small short crowns, 
which can scarcely be called pseudobulbs ( and 
.it is from these that the lea.ves"are 'developed. 
