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117 
FRUITFULNESS. 
HOLLYHOCK. 
Aut the world knows this superb plant, 
which is supposed to be a native of China, or 
rather of Syria, whence it is said to have been 
brought to Europe in the time of the crusades, 
From its extreme fecundity in the production 
of flowers it has been made the emblem of fruit- 
fulness, The Chinese represent nature crowned 
with its flowers. Pliny mentions it as a rose 
growing on stalks like the mallow; and Miller 
states that he received seeds from Istria, where 
they were gathered in the fields; these seeds 
produced only single red flowers, while secds 
received from Madras yielded plants with double 
flowers of a variety of colours. H. Smith tells 
us, that 
From the nectaries of hollyhocks 
The humble bee e’en till he faints will sip. 
“* There are few flowers that contribute more 
to the embellishment of large gardens than the 
hollyhock, although their hardy nature and 
easy propagation have rendered them so com- 
mon that they are much less regarded by the 
generality of florists than they deserve.” 

