February 16, 1889. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
385 
a year or two for them to make nice plants again, but 
it is the best plan that can be adopted with them, and 
insures clean and vigorous wood in place of old and 
worn-out shoots. 
The flowers are produced in trusses at the points of 
the shoots, and are orange-scarlet in colour with a 
distinct eye of a bright orange colour. R. speciosa 
brilliantissima and R. s. major are the best to grow, 
and should have the free use of the syringe about them 
when making their new growth. A soil composed of 
fibry loam and peat, with sharp sand added, and 
pressed firm about the roots, suits them admirably ; 
and during the growing period and just before they 
come into flower, doses of weak liquid manure will 
greatly benefit them.— JF. G. 
-~>X<~- 
NOTES ON HOLLYHOCKS. 
It is gratifying to note the increasing interest which 
is again being taken in Hollyhock culture. Still, there 
are many amateurs who refrain from growing a col¬ 
lection of these beautiful plants from an impression 
that they are hard to grow, but this is really not the 
case, for they are quite as easy to manage as many 
other florists’ flowers. The greatest enemy to Holly¬ 
hock growers is the dreaded fungus (Puccinia 
malvacearum) commonly known as the Hollyhock 
disease, which affects the growing plants, generally 
making its appearance on the under sides of the leaves 
in the form of small brownish spots, and when once 
established on the plants, should not prompt and severe 
measures be taken, it spreads quickly over all of them, 
in many cases destroying the whole collection. 
In most cases where the disease is present, except in 
the very worst form, good flowers can be grown, but in 
forming a collection it is well to see before purchasing 
that the plants are thoroughly clean ; a keen eye 
should then be kept on them, and on the first appear¬ 
ance of the disease have the affected leaves picked off 
and burned. Of the many compositions recommended 
for destroying the fungus, so far as my own experience 
goes, I have not found any of them wholly reliable. 
Mr. Oliver, the gardener at Eslington Park, Alnwick, 
a most successful grower, who has grown a collection 
for thirty years, has the most perfect method of 
stamping it out of which I am aware. His system is as 
follows :—Should the disease appear on any of the 
plants, those affected are at once cut down close to the 
dormant buds, everything removed being burnt. The 
crowns are then covered with loose soil, and the young 
growths allowed to push through the covering. These 
will be found to be quite clean, and can then be taken 
off and propagated in the usual way. This may seem 
to be a very harsh measure, but nothing short of it 
will keep a collection quite clean. So far, I have never 
seen the fungus on other than Malvaceous plants, 
therefore should any plants belonging to that order be 
cultivated in the garden, or found growing wild in the 
neighbourhood, an eye should be kept on them as well, 
as it would be of little use fighting with the diseased 
Hollyhocks, and allowing the fungus on the other 
plants to ripen their myriads of spores. It is very 
improbable that we shall ever get quite clear of the 
fungus, seeing that there is so much of it in many parts 
on the wild Mallows, which, when the spores are 
matured are so easily carried or blown about until they 
get a resting-place on the Hollyhocks. In fact, the 
worst case of the disease I ever saw was on a plant of 
Malva sylvestris, growing but a few yards from the 
garden where a good collection of Hollyhocks was 
planted. Was it possible to keep down the pest under 
such conditions ? 
I have often heard the system of propagation in heat 
condemned as being the means of developing the 
disease, and no doubt if the fungus is in the plants 
the heat will greatly facilitate its growth ; but gardeners 
and amateurs can dispense with propagating these 
plants in heat, by working up a stock from eyes made 
from the side growths in August and September, putting 
one eye in a small pot, using sandy soil. Give a 
gentle watering through a fine rose, and then place 
them in a cold frame, keeping it close until they begin 
to grow. When well rooted they will require to be put 
into larger pots, and on no account let them get pot- 
bound. If plunged in coco-nut fibre refuse, and plenty 
of air be admitted on all favourable occasions, they will 
keep nicely throughout the winter, and flotver much 
earlier than plants propagated in spring. 
In trade establishments where large quantities are 
required it is necessary to grow the plants under glass 
all the winter to encourage young growths to propagate 
from. These are either rooted as cuttings, or root- 
grafted. I prefer the former, for the reason that 
cuttings do not require so much heat. N o doubt where 
a brisk heat is at command root-grafting is more 
expeditious, but 1 question if it is so satisfactory. The 
way I root the cuttings is a very simple and most 
reliable one. The cuttings are inserted in pure river 
sand, and treated to a slight amount of bottom-heat, 
and a temperature of 55 3 ; they are well watered through 
a fine rose, the leaves allowed to get thoroughly dry, 
and then covered with a bell-glass—pressing the base 
into the sand so as to make it air-tight. In this way 
they require no further attention until rooted, generally 
in about three weeks. I have tried the cuttings in 
coco-nut fibre under the same conditions most satis¬ 
factorily, every cutting rooting. As soon as the cuttings 
are rooted the bell-glasses are slightly tilted for a few 
days to admit air, when they are potted into 3-in. pots, 
and kept close for a few days, afterwards removed to 
an airy greenhouse, and then to the cold frames to be 
hardened before planting out. 
Hollyhocks require a deep rich soil, and to grow 
them to perfection it is necessary to trench the ground 
at least 2 ft. deep, working in a good supply of rotten 
manure. This operation is best performed in the 
autumn. Should the soil be of a heavy nature, so much 
Delphinium formosum : showing branching habit. 
the better, as the plants delight in a soil with a cool 
bottom. On light warm soils they never make such a 
vigorous growth, and are more subject to the attacks of 
red-spider. The situation, if possible, should be an 
open one, but sheltered from boisterous winds. High 
walls'and distant trees answer well, but care should be 
taken not to plant within the root-run or shade of the 
trees. The plants should be ready for putting out in 
their permanent quarters in March or April. Plant 
3 ft. apart in the row, and 4 ft. between the rows ; 
more if the ground can be spared. The plants should 
be looked over and cleaned of any insect pests that may 
be on them before they are placed in the ground. It 
is a good plan to put some Spruce Fir branches, about 
a foot high, round the young plants until they get well 
established in their new quarters. 
As soon as the plants begin to run up, a good strong 
stake about 6 ft. high should be placed to each, and the 
plants made secure by tying. In warm dry weather 
give abundance of water, and mulch with rotten 
manure. When the buds begin to swell, water alter¬ 
nately with liquid manure, taking care to keep it off 
the stem or leaves. Should the spikes or blooms be 
intended for exhibition purposes, it will be necessary 
to remove the latter shoots, thin the flower buds if 
crowded together, taking off the top of the flower spike 
according to the desired height, and carefully shade 
the flowers as they expand. In warm dry weather, 
insects—green-fly, thrips and red-spider—often become 
troublesome. These should never be allowed to get a 
hold on the plants ; by using the syringe vigorously 
in the evenings, directing the spray underneath the 
foliage, and using soapy water occasionally, they can 
be kept at bay. 
The following varieties will be found to comprise the 
cream of those at present in cultivation :— 
Le Grand (Chater), light salmon 
Grace Darling (Thompson), rosy carmine 
Maggie Bain (Thompson), rosy puce 
Hercules (Chater), yellow, dark base 
Favourite (Chater), lilac 
Lord Decies (Rogerson), dark glossy crimson 
Frank Gibb Dougall (Downie & Laird), rosy purple 
Alba superba (Chater), pure white 
Alfred Chater (Chater), mottled rose, flushed carmine 
Perfection (Chater), silvery flesh 
Gem of Yellows (Chater), yellow 
Ariadne (Chater), pale yellow, flushed bright rose 
Fire King (Chater), bright crimson 
Pride of Layton (Finlay), salmon 
Walden King (Chater), bright scarlet 
Queen of the Yellows (Chater), yellow 
Peri (Chater), creamy white 
Robert Ryle (Oliver), light red 
Agnes Ryle (Oliver), dark yellow. 
The two last-named varieties are of recent intro¬ 
duction, and were raised by Mr. Oliver, at Eslington 
Park. Robert Ryle is considered one of the finest 
Hollyhocks grown, and flowers of this variety have 
been grown 7 ins. over, and perfect in every way. 
I shall be obliged if any of your readers can let me 
know if the variety Leviathan (Chater), bright reddish 
rose, is still in cultivation.— J. C. B., Kelso. 
-»£*•- 
DELPHINIUM FORMOSUM. 
Since the introductionjof this beautiful species, great 
improvements have been effected in the garden race of 
which D. elatum is one of the parents. Some authori¬ 
ties consider it of hybrid origin ; but whether this is so 
or not, it is still worthy of a prominent position in the 
herbaceous border, where it proves a most attractive 
object at various times during summer, and flowers 
occasionally in autumn, according to the nature of the 
season with regard to warmth and moisture. In good 
soil the stems grow about 3 ft. in height, although in 
thin gravelly soil, which it dislikes, it does not exceed 
half of that. The flowers are produced in long terminal 
racemes, and are of a beautiful deep azure-blue, deepen¬ 
ing in places to indigo. The sepals constitute the most 
showy part of the flower, while the petals are small and 
close up the centre of the flower. Grown in lines or 
masses in rich, friable soil, it constitutes an object of great 
beauty. It may be readily propagated by division of 
the fleshy root-stock, just before growth commences in 
spring, or by seeds sown as soon as ripe, and wintered 
in a cold frame. Slugs are very fond of the young 
sprouting buds, and should be looked after. 
- »I-< -- 
THE BARONS, TWICKENHAM. 
Although situated at some distance from Lo n< Ln 
the residence of Henry Little, Esq., at The Barons, 
Twickenham, Middlesex, may nevertheless be con¬ 
sidered a suburban seat which comes within the 
influence of the London smoke, making gardening in 
its various aspects a matter of no small difficulty. As 
the neighbourhood is rapidly getting built upon, the 
mischievous influence of the smoke question becomes 
more and more apparent on Orchids which happen to 
be expanding their flowers at a bad time. Other 
subjects are cultivated with the greatest success at The 
Barons, such as show and fancy Pelargoniums, 
Amaryllis, and Cyclamens, but these, with the excep¬ 
tion of the latter, are quiet at present so far as 
flowers are concerned. Spring gardening, in the way 
of bulbs, is carried on extensively, and we hope to 
refer to them later on, when the kindly influence of 
warmer weather induces them to unfold their treasures. 
Despite all the anxiety in connection with the 
cultivation of Orchids in winter, they nevertheless 
furnish an endless variety of beautiful, fantastic, 
singular, and showy flowers, such as no other family 
can supply ; and in visiting such a collection as this, 
one never fails to find something interesting and 
worthy of inspection. Many healthy pieces of Cym- 
