THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 105 



on the prize-lisfc is so small, that it will be well to wait for a year or 

 two, until flowers that are likely to do honour to the cultivator 

 are produced. This remark applies with equal force to exhibiting 

 plants and flowers of all kinds, and we should have more thoroughly 

 good growers and better exhibitions, were growers to wait until 

 they had mastered the cultivation of the subjects they take a fancy 

 to before bringing them before tbe public ; because, when a young 

 grower is thorougbly beaten or laughed at on account of tbe infe- 

 riority of his products, he loses all heart, and the exhibition list 

 knows him no more, excepting as a spectator. 



The situation selected for the dahlia beds must be open, but, if 

 practicable, slightly sheltered from rough winds ; for, when planted 

 in an exposed position, the branches are liable to be snapped off 

 during boisterous weather. Very heavily-manured ground is not 

 desirable, because, in ordinaiy seasons, it encourages an excessively 

 luxuriant growth, and a very small percentage of flowers. On the 

 other hand, if the soil is poor, there will be an abundance of flowers, 

 but tbey will be small in size and poor in quality, besides the addi- 

 tional risk of the foliage becoming infested with red-spider, if the 

 season happens to be rather dry. Ground that was manured and 

 trencbed rather deep in the autumn, and left rough on the surface, 

 will now be in the best possible condition for planting, and the 

 plants can be put out without further trouble after the third week 

 in May. There is, however, plenty of time for preparing quarters 

 that, from any cause, were dealt with in the manner suggested 

 above, but no time must be lost in preparing ground now. Dress 

 the- surface with two or three inches of rotten manure, according as 

 it can be spared, and dig it in regularly, and not put all of it into 

 the bottom of the trench, as some writers advise. It is also a good 

 plan to apply a dressing of maiden loam in addition to the manure ; 

 but, as good loam is so expensive in most districts, it appears 

 desirable to say that good blooms can be produced without its aid. 

 Even at this late period the surface should be left rather rough, as 

 the action of the weather we usually have during April and the 

 early part of May will pulverize it sufficiently to secure a good 

 earth by planting-time. 



It has been already said the planting should be proceeded with 

 after the third week in May, and it only now remains to be said 

 that, from that period to the end of the second week in June, plant- 

 ing may be most successfully performed. It is not desirable to 

 defer the planting for any length of time after the first of the last- 

 named month, because the plants have then such a poor opportunity 

 of becoming established before the hot weather sets in. There is 

 no danger attached to planting as early as the second week in May, 

 because the plants can be protected from morning frosts by means 

 of flower-pots turned over them the last thing the previous evening.- 

 As it is important that every plant should have sufficient space for 

 its full development, they should be put at a distance of not less 

 than five feet apart. The proper distance is six feet. The distance 

 at which those in the mixed border are put apart must be regulated 

 by circumstances, but in no case is it desirable to overcrowd them. 



