THE FLORIST. 99 



too rough a subject for delicate hands. Stocks of the Boursault will 

 be more appropriate. Unless for experiment, however, it is scarcely- 

 worth while for ladies to interfere with these manipulations, as 

 plants may be procured at the nurseries so cheaply. 



As a concluding piece of advice, do not let fine April days play 

 with you the game for which the month is celebrated. We speak 

 from experience, having been tempted sometimes to trust tender 

 plants to Dan Phcebus, only to find we had thrown them into the 

 iron embrace of Jack Frost. 



The Bury, Luton. Henry Burgess. 



THE DAHLIA. 



I thank the writer of the article entitled " Retrospective Glance at 

 the Dahlia Trade," &c. in Number XIV. of The Florist, for the par- 

 ticulars therein detailed, and above all for the kindly spirit in which 

 it is written : such articles will benefit both the amateur and fair 

 dealer. 



Different people look at things in different lights. At first glance, 

 the article in question appears something like a stricture on the Dahlia 

 trade in general ; but on examination it really pays raisers of new 

 flowers a substantial compliment. The question is asked, " What 

 has become of the varieties offered so late as 1845 ?" It is true that 

 there are but two of those sent out in the season worth cultivating 

 for exhibition at the present day ; but why is this ? is it because 

 they were not improvements on the older flowers ? Certainly not, 

 as I will endeavour to shew. Every one will say that the stands 

 of Dahlias have improved since that time, and rapidly ; and as the 

 varieties shewn in 1848 were none of them raised before 1845, there 

 must have been that progressive improvement going on, which is the 

 aim of all true florists. I will demonstrate this fact by referring 

 to the late Surrey show, reported in the October Number of The 

 Florist, vol. i., and which show was acknowledged to be the best 

 of the season, at which all the principal growers competed. I find 

 that the best 24 in the open or Nurserymen's Class contained three 

 varieties sent out previous to 1845, one in that year, two in 1846, 

 ten in 1847, and eight in 1848. It will be evident what has become 

 of the old flowers, — they are beaten by the new ones. If this is 

 not conclusive in favour of the new flowers, the 36 given at the 

 conclusion of the article as the best out will be so. Twenty-three 

 of them are flowers sent out in 1847 and 1848. 



I must leave those who intend competing for prizes to form their 

 own conclusion, whether new flowers are necessary or not to ensure 

 success. 



I again thank the writer ; he has done some good : the subject 

 only requires bringing prominently forward, and most purchasers 

 will see the course which they ought to take. This last remark 

 equally applies to all florists' flowers. Observer. 



