THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 199 



applied with advantage even, if no danger from the fly is appre- 

 hended. The Early White Stone or Siv-Week? is the quickest in 

 growth, and good in quality; the Early Snowball is also remarkably 

 good ; and for standing the winter, Chirk Castle Black Stone can be 

 highly recommended. The skin of the latter is black, but the flesh 

 is perfectly white, and of excellent flavour. The necessary thinning 

 should be done when the plants are small, for it not only occupies 

 less time, but it is better for the crop. 



DAHLIAS.— No. III. 



BY JOHN WALSH. 



AHLIAS have not been forgotten, but up to the present 

 moment the cultivator has not been in want of advice 

 if he has paid due attention to the hints given in the 

 papers published in the Floral World for March and 

 April. Even now there is very little to be said, as it 

 is yet too early to deal with the preparation of the blooms for 

 exhibition. There are, however, a few points to which attention 

 may be profitably directed ; for upon proper attention to the wants 

 and requirements of the plants at the present moment depends the 

 success that will be met with at the exhibition. 



The weather through June has been so cold that the plants in 

 all but the most favourable positions have not made much progress ; 

 but as we may reasonably expect some warm weather during the 

 ensuing month. Thinning and training the growth must be at once 

 thought about. The support for the main stem was recommended 

 to be put to the plants when they were planted, and if this advice 

 was acted upon, we have now only to consider the support of the 

 side branches. From three to five of the latter should be allowed to 

 each plant, and must be made secure from injury by the wind by 

 affixing a stout stake to each immediately they appear to need sup- 

 port. The stakes should be iuserted about twelve or fifteen inches 

 from the main stem in a slanting direction so as to give each branch 

 all the space possible ; and to make everything extra secure, connect 

 all the stakes together by strong pieces of string. The growth must 

 not be thinned too severely, but it will be necessary to remove a fevv" 

 of the most weakly shoots to prevent overcrowding, both on the 

 main stem and secondary branches ; and they should be cut off close 

 to the stem to prevent them breaking again and producing a lot of 

 useless spray. Sometimes, especially in hot and dry seasons like 

 those of 1867 and 1870, Dahlias have a tendency to bloom prema- 

 turely, and if not looked after and the flowers removed the growth 

 will experience a serious check. When they are grown merely for de- 

 coration, their flou-ering early is not of so much consequence. 



The main object should be to secure a healthy growth, and the 

 removal of all the early flowers is one of the most essential condi- 



