100 THE FLORIS^T. 



blooms that I have taken first prizes for these last fifteen years. I 

 would therefore advise the young grower to avoid the two extremes. 



In shading blooms for exhibition, as a general rule, they should 

 be one-third blown before they are put under the shade ; and take 

 care to secure such as appear to be coming good, and at the time 

 they are required, from injury by friction. 



Slugs and earwigs are very destructive, and must be perseveringly 

 kept down from the time the plants are put out till the end of the 

 season. 



If you should be annoyed by a small black insect (which is often 

 the case in July), use every means to encourage the plants to make 

 rapid growths, by watering and syringing them overhead, and by 

 brushing the depredators from the points of the shoots. Snuff, to- 

 bacco-water, and various other remedies are often resorted to ; but 

 these, if effectual in killing the pests, generally destroy the points of 

 the shoots : if the plants are in a thriving condition, they will soon 

 recover themselves. If the season proves dry, water freely two or 

 three times a week ; but never let it be done by halves : give a good 

 soaking when you do water, if that should not be so often. 



Employ manure-water once a week as soon as they begin to 

 throw up their buds ; but it should be used in a weak state at the 

 commencement. 



Before concluding these remarks, permit me to bear witness to 

 the increasing interest taken both in the culture of the Dahlia for 

 competition and in the raising of seedlings. The enjoyment and 

 pleasing recreation attending the cultivation of Florists' flowers add 

 numbers to the fancy ; and I have much satisfaction in stating that 

 no flower is more generous in repaying the enthusiastic Florist for 

 his labour than the Dahlia. 



Royal Nursery, Slough. Charles Turner. 



DESCRIPTIVE LISTS OF FRUITS. 



No. V. GRAPES. 



The Grape occupies so important a place at dessert, and is more- 

 over such a universal favourite, that it is considered expedient to go 

 more into detail in describing the peculiarities of the varieties recom- 

 mended for cultivation in the following Hst than I have hitherto done 

 as regards other fruits. To assist in clearing up the confusion that 

 has been caused by giving numerous names to one and the same sort, 

 I shall copy the synonyms (or false names) of each sort from the 

 Horticultural Society's Fruit- Catalogue, adding such observations 

 upon them as my own experience has satisfied me are correct. In 

 that catalogue as many as eighty- six sorts are described; and the 

 names of a considerable number are given to which no descriptions 

 are appended, making in all over a hundred varieties, of which only 

 about a dozen are worth cultivating under glass ; and some six or 



