An 1894 Conversation With James Whitcomb Riley

I can't not republish this!

The tie in to this blog?  How about, as a poet James Whitcomb Riley referenced garden produce and country life more than most other poets?

Watermelon Seed Packets...Poetry with Seeds

Oh! it’s wortermelon time is a-comin’ round ag’in,
And they ain’t no man a-livin’ any tickelder’n me,
Fer the way I hanker after wortermelons is a sin—
Which is the why and wharefore, as you can plainly see.
                                                        James Whitcomb Riley 1922

Entire wonderful poem at end of post...

Cuban Queen, Dixie, Florida Favorite,  Kleckley's Sweet,  Kolb's Gem, Stone Mountain, Florida Giant, Tom Watson,  Tom Watson Improved,  Dixie Queen,  Georgia Rattlesnake...all promises of summer.


1895 - POEMS from AMERICA

"Literature ought to keep open house, and her progress is towards this desirable state of affairs, though there was a time when the stranger in England found it somewhat hard to obtain a hearing, chiefly because he came from afar, and could be so easily disregarded. 

But all this is changed —so much changed that when the polished Bushman from the fringes of the Kalahari desert, or the educated Maori, or the Pawnee versed in belleslettres, produces the inevitable epic, room will be found in the English papers for praise or blame, for the tendency of to day is to know the best, and even the worst, of what is foreign.

 When a singer sends us melodies across the sea it is a delightful accident if they have a sweet appeal, since there is no pleasure like that of behaving as a good host to a good guest. Here is Mr. Stanton asking for our vote. He need not ask twice, for indeed it is a small thing to give as a thank-offering for so few as a couple of his fragrant ditties. Are you not won immediately by this melon song?"

~ The Georgia Melon ~ 

Songs of the Soil. By Frank L. Stanton

Oh, the Georgia watermelon—it's a-growin'
cool an' green,
An'll soon be pullin' heavy at the stem;
An' the knife—it needs a whettin', an' the
blade is gettin' keen.
Oh, the Georgia watermelon is a gem I

Melons cool an' green—
Jest the best you ever seen!
Soe the sweet juice drippin'
From them melons cool an' green!

Oh, the Georgia watermelon—with the
purtiest sort o' stripe!
It ain't a streak o' fat an' streak o' lean; 

You thump her with your fingers, an' yon hear her answer,' Ripe!'  Oh, the Georgia watermelon cool an' green!

This poem went on forever....

Watermelon = Summer

In spite of wearing a watermelon slice on her head on this cigarette card, Rose was a much respected actress.  Rose Coghlan.

I love this next illustration!

 1892

 

< 1889

Remember triffids?

 1910

Modern Suppliers of Hollyhock - The Winner Is...

The winner for modern hollyhock selections is Swallowtail Garden Seeds with 32 varieties of hollyhock seeds,  if you count (and I do) hybrids and species besides Alcea rosea.

Swallowtail Garden Seeds include  Alcea rosea, A. ficifolia, A. rugosa, and A. pallida in the hollyhock section.  There are some beauties!!

From Swallowtail Gardens Seeds is this, Mars Magic >

BTW - Is Photoshop used here?  Something is odd.  I like the form.

There may be a larger selection somewhere but I did not find it.  I have never ordered from them as I just found their marvelous selection.

But Park Seeds has 14 varieties, with some really good ones!

It is all a matter of taste after all.  

< This is their Halo Apricot Hollyhock Seeds.

The Shop at Monticello gets high marks for the information they supply with their seeds however. This black hollyhock had the following description.  

             

"Black Hollyhock was described as early as 1629 by John Parkinson, as being "of a darke red like black blood," an apt description for the large single flowers that grace this plant in June and July. The Boston nurseryman, John B. Russe, offered seeds of "Black antwerp hollyhock: Althea nigra" in a forty-two-page catalogue published in 1827."

The Seedsman  does well, too, although for me there are too many doubles.

Hollyhock Selections Getting Better! - 1895, 1900, 1902 and so on

For whatever reason, things are picking up somewhat as the turn of the century approaches. From just one offering in the 1895 James Vick catalog above, to more than a dozen in the Peter Henderson  1899 catalog it started to become easier to find at least 4 or 5 varieties in most all catalogs.










Henderson's varieties are approaching the pre-rust numbers...but without the lovely or interesting names.
































Tokio, black with a white edge sounds really nice!!  It is the only named variety.

 This selection from Miss Martha Hizer in 1900 isn't as impressive, but at least we are beyond no choice at all.


















And her catalog cover features hollyhocks!

1902 brings an ad featuring hollyhocks and a variety of forms.

1902 did not bring more choices to Hizer...but they did have a new engraving.

This is 1904, Ferry is doing pretty well here.

1905...another featured ad from Henderson.

1907...just an ad.

Uh-oh.  Only one in Maule in 1908.

Miss Emma White has an OK selection in 1911.  Check out the engraving she uses in the catalog. Look familiar?  I can't really read the date on the artwork but it sure looks like 1895.  Hollyhock generic catalog cut.

From what I have read, I am wondering if all those 100s of names varieties from Europe were a manifestation of hollyhock mania.  One of the articles mentioned how hollyhocks do not seem to breed true easily.  Were they really trying using proper isolation, etc?  

 M. Pelissier appears to have been breeding for form with success.

I am thinking some people planted many plants, and any of them that came up with a flower that matched a description were identified as that variety.

And the rust problem seems to have been less serious than first perceived once people realized excellent clean up care could limit the problem.  

J. Ottis Adams - Little Girl With Hollyhocks

I am up to my ears in school paperwork!  Art teachers see every kid in the school...each one having paperwork...so...today, enjoy these two paintings. More hollyhock info coming sooner or later; until then cool images.        








J. Ottis Adams - Little Girl With Hollyhocks

J. Ottis Adams - Hollyhocks and Poppies - The Hermitage