118 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
October 22, 1892. 
THE HOLLYHOCK. 
Notwithstanding the adverse season we have ex¬ 
perienced, admirers of the stately Hollyhock will 
look back with pleasure on the fine examples shown 
at different exhibitions throughout the country, or I 
might perhaps more correctly say in the north of 
England. At Alnwick, in Northumberland, they 
were .quite a feature in themselves, and many of the 
fine old varieties that were thought to have been lost 
were well represented, notably those raised by the 
late Mr. Wm. Chater, of Saffron Walden. It has 
often been remarked that these fine old varieties had 
all been swept away by the Puccinia, but we are 
glad to say most of Mr. Chater’s choice Hollyhocks 
are still in cultivation. Whether it is that those 
raised by Mr. Chater had a stronger constitution, or 
whether he had more patrons in the north and the 
cooler climate is more favourable for their preserva¬ 
tion I cannot say, but it is somewhat remarkable that 
while most of Mr. Chater’s have been preserved those 
of Messrs. Paul, Bragg, Bircham, Turner, Roake, 
and other noted raisers of a quarter of a century ago 
seem to have been lost. Their places, however, are 
fast being filled up, indeed we think improved upon, 
and the little knot of enthusiasts who have stood 
faithfully by the Hollyhock during the term of its 
eclipse see it emerging from the darkness with 
new and improved varieties and with a stronger con¬ 
stitution. 
Among the present raisers the names of Thomson, 
Oliver, Finlay, and Rogerson may be especially 
mentioned, as their productions hold a prominent 
position wherever Hollyhocks are grown in the north. 
The propagation of the Hollyhock from seed is not 
so much practised as it might be. It is true our wet 
and sunless seasons are not very favourable to the 
ripening of seed, but when a few good varieties can 
be planted early against a south wall, seed ripens 
very freely and well repays a little extra care in fer¬ 
tilizing the flowers, for it is only in this way that 
we may expect variety. 
I do not wish to deprecate in any way the seed 
sold at the present day, but it is a remarkable fact 
that no varieties of exhibition form are ever raised 
from it. The splendid varieties that have been in¬ 
troduced in recent years are from seed carefully 
saved in the way referred to, or to use a familiar 
phrase " Home-saved seed,” and there is no greater 
pleasure in floriculture than the raising of seedlings, 
especially from seed fertilized and saved by one’s 
own hands. The daily hope of the unfolding of some 
inestimable gem is always stronger than the con¬ 
stantly recurring disappointment as some fair bud of 
more than average promise slowly reveals its faults. 
It is asserted by some that the Hollyhock comes true 
from seed, but I have never been able to verify this 
assertion; and although we may often get them true 
to colour we very seldom indeed get either the form 
or substance of the parent. 
Seedlings of this description, however, may be 
useful for plantmg among shrubs or in the herba¬ 
ceous border, but are of little use to the amateur 
who grows them principally for exhibition and the 
decoration of his garden. I strongly advise amateurs 
to take up the cultivation of the Hollyhock again, 
for there is no finer flower in conjunction with the 
Dahlia for our autumn shows. The fungus which 
seems to frighten so many is not nearly so virulent 
as it was—indeed we hardly see anything of it in the 
north—and certainly when it does appear it has no 
evil effect upon the plants or flowers. This may not 
be so in the south of England, as from reports 
received, plants affected with the Puccinia seem to 
wither and die. But if the plants were carefully 
treated for a year or two, I am convinced that 
Puccinia malvacearum—commonly known as the 
Hollyhock fungus—would cause no more alarm than 
the fungus of any other host species, and their name 
is legion. 
The Vine and the Potato are plants which have 
especially claimed the attention of horticulturists 
recently, and although neither of the pests to which 
these plants are subject have been, or, perhaps ever 
will be, completely annihilated, we do not find the 
cultivation of these plants in the least modified, on 
the contrary, they are increasing every year. The 
same may be said of the Hollyhock ; because the 
fungus still exists, and probably ever will exist to a 
certain extent, it is no worse than any other fungoid 
pests which florists have to contend with, and if the 
plants were occasionally sprayed with the Bouilie 
Bordelaise mixture, it would prevent the disease 
taking hold. 
After many experiments I find this is the best and 
cheapest preventative, I say preventative, for I find 
we can prevent what we cannot cure ; indeed, I have 
never heard or known of anything that will kill the 
fungus without killing the plant also. The only way 
to grow a collection of Hollyhocks satisfactorily is to 
cut the plants close down to the dormant buds, if 
affected with the fungus everything to be removed 
and burnt. The stools are then covered over with 
about 4 in. of fine sifted soil, when the young shoots 
will soon be seen to push through the soil as clean 
as if fungus had never existed. These should be 
taken off and propagated in the usual way, after 
which they ought to have frequent spraying with the 
Bouilie Bordelaise mixture, or a better plan is to dip 
the plants overhead in the mixture so long as they 
are in pots and easily handled. 
It would be interesting to have the opinion of 
other growers on the fungus question, and as the 
long nights are creeping fast upon us it will afford a 
good opportunity for writing.— George Steel, Heathen- 
law, Cornhill-on-Tweed. 
THE CANARY CREEPER. 
In my own and in adjoining gardens the charming 
and most useful Tropaeolum canariense is still 
flowering freely, though the Scarlet Runner Beans, 
growing by the side of this old favourite, were cut 
down by the frost weeks ago. I have frequently 
noticed in the case of the annual Tropaeolums a 
larger degree of hardihood than they are frequently 
credited with; and I have found that a sharp 
autumnal frost is requisite to lay them low among 
other destroyed tender things. It is a most useful 
plant, as it can be employed in many ways. It can be 
employed for covering blank walls and such places. 
All that is required is to sow the seeds, and then, by 
placing a few small boughs against the plants, give 
them something to attach themselves, and then, 
given a fairly holding soil and sufficient moisture to 
keep the plants growing vigorously, the volume of 
bloom is immense. 
What we know as T. canariense is really T. 
aduncum, and was introduced from New Grenada 
in xSio. One of its synonyms is T. peregrinum, 
which means Canary Creeper; but now it is most 
generally known as T. canariense, and derives its 
name from the yellow colour of the blossoms, and 
their resemblance to a canary bird. T. canariense is 
really a garden name of no authority. 
Seed of this pretty annual though generally 
plentiful is sometimes very scarce indeed, and reaches 
an almost prohibitive price. It was so in the very 
dry summer of 1869, and it appears to be scarcer 
from a dry than from a wet season. It is but rarely 
so scarce as it was twenty-three years ago, and 
during that year of scarcity, moist localities, like 
Killarney in Ireland, supplied a larger quantity of 
seed, perhaps, than any other part of the United 
Kingdom.— R. D. 
--5-- 
Parcel Post Regulations.—The following regula¬ 
tions have been issued .—Tin boxes should always 
be used for Damsons, Bullaces, Blackberries, 
etc., which are largely sent by parcel post at this 
time of the year. Chrysanthemums should invari¬ 
ably be enclosed in a box or basket, as by this means 
all risk of damage is prevented. Shrubs and dwarf 
trees should have the roots encased in bass matting, 
and the branches and twigs tied together with bass 
or string. Dwarf standard Rose trees should have 
bands of hay, or of bass matting, wound round their 
entire length, so as to prevent all risk of injury to 
the young shoots. Wooden boxes should be used 
for flowers and soft or tender plants. The address 
label attached to such parcels should bear the words 
” By Parcel Post,” “Fruit,” “Plants,” etc., as the 
case may be, or “ Perishable,” and every effort will be 
made in the Post Office to deal with parcels so marked 
as speedily and carefully as possible. The limits of size 
are : Greatest length, 3 ft. 6 in.; greatest length and 
girth combined, 6 ft. The rates of postage (for the 
United Kingdom, Channel Islands, and Isle of Man) 
are as follows : Weight not exceeding 1 lb., 3d.; 2 lb., 
4^d.; 3 lb., 6d.; 4 lb., 7$d.; 5 lb., 9d.; 6 lb., io£d.; 7 lb., 
is.; 8 lb., is. i^d.; 9 lb., is. 3d.; 10 lb., is. 4jd.; 11 lb. 
(maximum weight allowed), is. 6d. Compensation 
for loss or damage of an ordinary inland parcel is 
given up to £2, and in the case of registered parcels 
up to £25. 
/EM 
§ARDENING glSCELLANY. 
THE WINTER MOTH. 
The Willesden Paper and Canvas Co. inform me 
that they have many applications for their canvas 
and prepared brown paper for use as bands on fruit 
trees against the winter moth, and ask for particulars 
as to mode of use. We use their “ Brown Canvas 
D.D. extra," cut into strips 4 in. wide, and prepared 
brown paper of same width, the paper is put round 
the stem of the trees about a foot from the ground 
and kept in its place by tarred twine. The canvas is 
then placed over it and secured in the same way. 
Common cart-grease without tar is then spread over 
it. This catches many females (wingless) of the 
winter moth and some other moths. More cart- 
grease should be added from time to time when it 
dries. Our Apple, Quince, and Damson trees were 
much injured till we adopted the above remedy and 
have been all right since. The bands should be on 
before the end of October .—George F. Wilson, Heatlier- 
hank, Weybridge Heath. 
GRISELINIA LITTORALIS. 
I notice that a northern catalogue of plants calls 
attention to this deserving subject as " the finest and 
most useful shrub introduced,” but is incorrectly 
spelt Grislinia. It is an evergreen shrub, introduced 
from New Zealand in 1850, it grows from 6 to 8 ft. 
in height, the flowers are small, and greenish in 
colour, and rarely produced in this country ; but it 
is nevertheless a verybeautiful evergreen, remarkable 
for its light green foliage and its graceful habit. 
The catalogue in question states it is almost unknown, 
which appears to be the case; “its rich glossy 
foliage, free growing and compact habit, will stand 
the smoke of large towns and exposure to the 
sea breeze.” I do not know how cold a locality 
Stanraer may be, but an arboriculturist with a good 
knowledge of trees and shrubs has assured us "it is 
unfortunately a little tender, and suffers injury from 
severe frosts or cold easterly winds; a very slight 
protection will guard against this, but it is useless 
to plant it out of doors in localities much higher than 
that of London." Perhaps after all it is uncertainty as 
to its capacities for standing hard weather which has 
so greatly reduced its area of cultivation, for one 
rarely sees it mentioned in these days.— R. D. 
BEGONIA FREAK. 
The normal condition of the floral organs of the 
tuberous Begonias has been so seriously disturbed 
by hybridising, cross-breeding, and cultivation, that 
they often appear under curious guises. Normally 
the three cornered ovary is inferior, that is, appear¬ 
ing under the sepals which in Begonia are coloured. 
A specimen we received from the gardens at Hanger 
Hill House, Ealing, had the sepals inferior. 
Practically there was no ovary, but numerous ovules 
covered the edges of the sepals near the base, a fact 
in accordance with the ideas of the botanist that 
ovules and later on the seeds are to be looked upon 
as buds occupying the edges of the carpellary leaf. 
The difference, however, in this case was that there 
were no carpels, unless we consider that they were 
adnate to the sepals and spread open with them. 
The greater thickness of that part of the sepals 
on which the ovules were situated would tend to 
confirm this view. Instead of the usual three forked 
stigmas occupying the centre of the flower, all the 
three had become excessively branched, forming a 
globular mass. At the base of the latter was a ring 
of other curious organs resembling separate stigmas, 
but so modified as to appear as if they were intended 
for stamens. Their stalks were red and different 
from the yellow ones of the true stigmas. 
BOUVARDIAS. 
Just now there is a fine show of Bouvardias in one 
of the warm greenhouses at Woodleigh, Sevenoaks. 
The varieties grown are President Garfield, Alfred 
Neuner, President Clevedon, Purity, Priory Beauty, 
Vreelandii, and Hogarth, all of which are excellent 
either for making sprays or buttonhole bouquets. Most 
of the plants are two years old, but a few of each sort 
are grown the third year, and these after flowering 
will be used for propagating, as Mr. J. Westcott, the 
able gardener here, propagates his plants by root- 
cuttings, and not from the young shoots, as is 
