150 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
November 5, 1887. 
(Pedicularis palustris), Marsh Orchid (Orchis latifolia), 
Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia), Bog Pimpernel (Ana- 
gallis tenella), and the Common Rush. Incidentally it 
might be mentioned that alongside this Arbor Vitse 
plantation, and in soil of almost similar quality, we 
found another of the Douglas Pir (Peudo-tsuga 
Douglasii); but these did not succeed so well as the 
Thuja, for they soon assumed a yellowish sickly hue, 
and produced but a short annual growth, thus showing 
that of the two trees the Thuja is best adapted for 
damp and stiff soils. 
Some of the largest specimens of the giant Arbor 
Vitfe that I know of are growing in alluvial matter 
which had from year to year been deposited by a rapid¬ 
flowing English river, this being largely commingled 
with rocky debris and grit carried down by the stream 
from the hills amongst which it originated. 
One of these, perhaps the largest, was, when I 
measured it in July of the present year, 76 ft. in height, 
with a trunk girthing 4 ft. 11 ins. at 1 yd. from the 
ground, and 4 ft. 8 ins. at 5 ft. up ; the diameter of 
branch-spread being fully 15 ft. Others in the same 
place ranged from 50 ft. in height upwards, with 
straight, clean and well-formed stems ; the situation 
was sheltered and the trees were planted among old 
specimens of the English Oak, Elm and Ash, as well 
as a few Eastern Spruces, Douglas Firs and Silver Firs. 
From my own observations, as pointed out in the above, 
there can be no doubt that in this country the giant 
Arbor Vitfe does best and grows more rapidly when 
planted in rich dampish soil,-, be that of wdiatever 
texture ; but at the same time all the better if it is free 
and open, provided, of course, that sufficient moisture 
is always present. Even when of young growth in the 
nursery, we have repeatedly noticed the preference of 
this tree for a cool moist soil, seedlings placed in light 
warm loam succeeding but very indifferently. 
As to situation or exposure to wind, the Giant Arbor 
Vitfe is almost totally indifferent, for we have planted 
it at 750 ft. altitude on the hill-side, and where almost 
fully exposed to the south-west wind, and with every 
prospect, judging from general appearance, of its attain¬ 
ing goodly proportions in years to come. 
No more than any other tree can we expect the giant 
Arbor Vitfe to attain the large dimensions on the wind¬ 
swept hill-side that it does in the warm and sheltered 
lowland valley ; yet that it is peculiarly suited for high- 
lying and breezy situations its growth in this country 
conclusively proves. At Benmore and Kilmeen, in 
Argyleshire, it is thriving luxuriantly at high altitudes, 
and in a few instances, where planted in alluvial soil, 
rivals the Larch as a rapid grower. Thuja gigantea is, 
likewise, on account of its surviving at high altitudes 
and producing timber rapidly, one of the few trees 
which the Prussian Government is introducing as useful 
additions to the State forests. Its value as a timber 
producer we will treat of in another paper.— A. D. 
Webster. 
-- 
HOLLYHOCKS, 
As seasons come and go, we are being carried on to 
the goal from whence no man returneth ; and on the 
journey our attention is so engrossed with an ever- 
varying multiplicity of details and circumstances that 
pursuits and occupations which in past years took 
much of our time and attention fall into the back¬ 
ground, and for a time are almost lost sight of. This 
has been so with reference to our old friend the Holly¬ 
hock. Our first recollection in connection with this 
flower carries us back to a country farm-house boasting 
of a green door and a marvellous brass knocker, the 
farmer being our grandsire, and who, for a man whose 
thoughts were mostly engrossed with cows, pigs, geese, 
and “taters,” was quite an enthusiast over his single 
Hollyhocks ; and when, a few years later on, he was 
shown some of the fine double varieties then being ex¬ 
tensively cultivated by the Messrs. A. Paul & Sons, of 
the Cheshunt Nurseries, his surprise and chagrin knew 
no bounds. He would have it that his at home were 
the best. Well, there is some excuse for the old gentle¬ 
man’s preferring his single flowers, as they have a beauty 
all their own. It was like a shower of rain on the 
parched ground to see your favourable report of the 
success attending the efforts being made at Dulwich ; 
for to those who were acquainted with the fine col¬ 
lections in existence some years back the neglect that 
has befallen this noble flower—arising mainly through 
the inroads of that fell destroyer, the Puccinea mal- 
vacearuin—is quite saddening. We are glad of a gleam 
of hope to inspire us with confidence to go forward, 
expecting better things in the near future. We, who 
remember the time when the Hollyhock was second 
only to the Rose in popularity, cannot but regret the 
annihilation of the many beautiful varieties, the result 
of many years’ plodding toil and attention. 
It will, perchance, surprise many of the rising 
generation of gardeners to hear that we have by us the 
names and descriptions of well-nigh 500 varieties. In 
looking down the list we find the late Mr. Chater, of 
Saffron Walden, and Messrs. Downie, Laird & Laing, 
of Edinburgh and Forest Hill, head the list, they 
having pursued the cultivation of them through a 
longer series of years than any other firm. The names 
of Messrs. Paul, Ward, Roake, Parsons, Hawke, 
Berchin, Bragg, and Porter deserve mention in this 
connection, all having done good work in their time. 
Very good collections could be had some fifteen years 
back, but, unfortunately, seldom quite free from the 
fungus. I think the advent of the Puccinea malva- 
cearum among us has never, and probably never will, 
be correctly ascertained, having ourselves a distinct 
recollection of seeing it on the common Hedge Mallow 
some years previous to hearing of its fastening itself on 
the Hollyhock, and thinking little at the time the 
anxiety and loss it was destined to entail on those with 
whom we were associated a few years hence. In what, 
in a trade point of view, were the palmy days of 
Hollyhock culture, it was seized with an affection 
which entailed great loss and trouble to some large 
growers. This was quite distinct to what is now 
universally called the Hollyhock disease, and com¬ 
pletely baffled that redoubtable florist, Mr. C. Turner, 
of Slough, he having to give them up in despair. Over 
propagation and unnatural forcing of the plants w r as 
assigned as the cause of the outbreak, and I am still of 
opinion that much of the mischief was justly ascribed 
to those causes, in reference to what we will call here 
the modern disease. 
I think cultivation has little or nothing to do with 
it, having found plants affected with it under the most 
diverse conditions imaginable. 'Where these fungoid 
growths come from it is difficult to determine, and after 
the lapse of some years, from some unassignable reason, 
fall into obscurity ; it may be from some undefined 
climatic change taking place, either favourable or 
adverse to their development. No precautionary 
measures that we have seen taken have ever had an 
appreciable effect in staying the inroads of the fell 
destroyer, so it gives us unfeigned pleasure to hear that 
at length there are hopes of the dawn of better days, 
and that a reasonable prospect is held out for recovering 
lost ground in the cultivation and improvement of this 
noble flower—the most stately adornment of our her¬ 
baceous borders. 
A good collection of Hollyhocks is unrivalled for 
beauty among herbaceous plants, and some years back 
they were one of the principal attractions at our autumn 
flower shows, large displays of both spikes and single 
flowers being brought together. They lend themselves 
well to displays of that kind, for no other flower can 
boast of so great a diversity of colour, ranging from 
the purest white, and on through the most delicate 
shades of blush and pink to deep lilac, carmine and 
crimson, deep plum, and jet black on the one hand, to 
the most delicate shades of primrose, cream and sul¬ 
phur, and dark chrome on the other. In some varieties 
these colours are sometimes most curiously and beauti¬ 
fully blended. To produce the fine blooms and spikes 
the leading exhibitors showed in former years required 
a considerable amount of labour and skill, and no one 
could successfully compete against them unless pre¬ 
pared to bear the brunt of a liberal expenditure ; but 
for ordinary garden embellishment good results were 
obtained at a comparatively small cost. In many a 
garden they formed a leading feature, and have, in 
many cases, been sadly missed, as nothing has come to 
the front to make a suitable substitute for them. 
We well remember the time of the splendid displays 
made with them at the Broxbourne Bridge Gardens by 
Mr. Beningfield ; they were at one time one of the 
chief attractions there, and thousands of visitors were 
enticed there by them. The best and newest varieties 
were grown, the collection being unrivalled in any 
private place. The natural mode of propagation is by 
seed, and although it has been long recognised that 
they come pretty true to colour, it must be admitted 
that to ensure the best results, and perpetuate the best 
kinds, propagation by either seed, cuttings, grafts, eyes, 
or division must be resorted to, and if we are blessed 
with only a comparative immunity from disease, we shall 
soon have all these methods in as active operation as 
when their cultivation was at its zenith. We will give 
a few lines on the different methods of treatment. The 
seed, whether from common or named flowers, should 
be saved and sown separately, so as to ensure a good 
admixture of colour when in flower. They may be 
treated as biennials by sowing the seed in May in well- 
prepared ground, or as seedlings to be planted in their 
blooming quarters during the winter. This plan gives 
less trouble than any other, and will commend itself to 
those whose accommodation and requirements are 
limited. 
A good plan is to sow the seed in pans in autumn, 
pot off into 60-sized pots, keep in a cold frame, letting 
them have all the light and air possible, keeping the 
lights on only during excessive rains, and frost and 
snow. Give one shift in 4-in. pots during the winter, 
and plant out early in spring. These should, if well 
attended to, produce good spikes of flowers. Another 
plan is to sow early in March in pans, place in 
a gentle heat, transplant into boxes 3 ins. apart 
each way, or plant in a frame .with rich earth, at the 
same distance. When strong enough, and the weather 
is suitable, plant in rows 2 ft. apart, and 1 ft. 
from plant to plant. Let the soil be well enriched 
with manure, and in good workable condition. 
Many of these will flower, and should be gone over, the 
best being selected, either numbered or named, and the 
description entered in a book. Cut down when done 
flowering and plant where to flower next year. To 
those whose aim it will be to secure the best flowers, 
and make it an object to effect improvements, this plan 
will be the best from the facilities it affords of weeding 
out inferior kinds. Cuttings and grafts : The treatment 
required for these is very much alike. A graft is simply 
a cutting affixed to a piece of root of an old stool, or the 
roots of a young seedling with the crown cut off. This 
was Mr. Chater’s favourite plan ; he grew seedlings by 
the thousand, purposely for stocks. During the winter 
and early spring old stools of good varieties should be 
lifted, potted and placed in a gentle heat. When 
found to be on the move the young shoots are taken off 
and either treated as cuttings or grafts, the latter being 
the surer way. — W. B. G. 
( To be continued.) 
ARDENING gfOTES FROM 
Scotland. 
Vegetable Notes. — Celery.— It is often the 
aim of cultivators to raise Celery to the greatest size 
possible, and for their pains have the mortification of 
seeing at the end of the growing season much of the 
crop going off to seed, or so pithy in substance that 
many of the heads have to be discarded, or reduced to 
such an extent that little is left which can be sent to 
the dinner table. Those who have much to do with 
judging at exhibitions can strongly endorse the state¬ 
ment of “ E. W.” at p. 136, and the tug of war begins 
(by exhibitors who have had their gigantic produce 
cast aside for quality) on the entry of the “ combat¬ 
ants” to the tables when the judges have retired ; or 
if a censor has lingered to take stock of the state of 
matters when the show is just opened, he may often 
hear adjectives suggesting that distance would lend 
enchantment to the scene. But why should anyone 
think that any value should be placed on produce 
when its only quality is size, but valueless because 
of coarseness, toughness, and absence of flavour ? A 
mistake which is common in the north, and not so in 
the south, is that of valuing produce only fit for the 
“broth.” Celery is an excellent adjunct to the 
mixture so much valued, and justly so, by Northerns ; 
but if that Celery is such as “E. W.” objects to as 
being of prime quality, it is certainly very inferior for 
the purpose indicated. Compared with solid, crisp, 
high-flavoured Celery, so far as economy is concerned, 
the coarse, loose, pithy heads are not to be named 
beside well-cultivated produce. Looking over our 
stock, November 1st, we never had more reason to be 
satisfied with the Celery crop ; and that which was 
sown late in March and early in April, is by far the 
best. Though some is of great height, it is remark¬ 
ably solid, tender, and crisp. Fortunately the crop 
was planted without the trouble of throwing out 
ridges, some well-rotted manure being dug in, the 
spaces on which were planted with rows of Celery in 
two, three and four lines. There being great drought 
and scarcity of water, the plants only had one watering 
and mulching after, which kept them all right. The 
depth of soil allowed the roots to go down and escape 
the drought; damp is not likely to be a difficulty 
during the winter. Except some seven or eight plants 
