296 THE FLORIST. 



described, the trees protect each other in the spring from cold cutting 

 winds, and if protected on the outside to the north, and east, by the 

 shelter of a plantation or high ground, would most effectually screen 

 each other. The same rule follows when laden with fruit in autumn, 

 as the fruit will not be so liable to be blown down as from standards, 

 or even from dwarfs, when the wind is allowed to play all round them. 

 The space between the rows should on no account be cropped when the 

 trees are fully grown, but as soon as the roots have extended them- 

 selves across the space just named a mulching of half decayed dung, 

 leaves, or, indeed, any kind of litter, two or three inches thick, will 

 materially help them, if spread between the rows in May, and 

 allowed to remain all the summer. We do not advise either digging or 

 forking up the ground, unless it becomes very hard and baked, as 

 the mulching will encourage the roots to the surface, and digging the 

 ground will only destroy them. Weeds must be kept down, and the 

 sun allowed to have free access between the rows, the action of which 

 on the roots of the trees, brought near the surface by mulching, and 

 exposed to its influence, will greatly assist the trees in becoming fruitful 

 and keeping them so. We cannot conclude without noticing that this 

 method of planting presents great facilities for preventing the mischief 

 often caused by the caterpillars of the different species of Bombyx and 

 Geometra, which, during the months of May and June, when the cater- 

 pillars infest the trees, commit great ravages on the flowers and foliage ; 

 to stop this slow-burning fires should be lighted between the rows, the 

 smoke from which will spread through the trees and keep in check 

 these pests to orchards. The fires may be kept supplied with any 

 rubbish not too dry, that the smoke may be dense enough to be effective. 

 A writer in your periodical, a few years since, described an orchard, 

 which had a fine crop of Apples, preserved solely by lighting slow- 

 burning fires under the trees during the continuance of a frost which 

 destroyed the fruit crop in adjoining orchards. I am not going to say 

 that the effects of frost may be prevented altogether by this plan, but 

 that smoking the trees by fires of rubbish will prevent the ravages of 

 caterpillars, I know from experience, and where the materials exist, the 

 trial might be made as a preventive against frosts. 



G. P. 



THE NATIONAL DAHLIA SHOW FOR 1859. 



This exhibition took place at Aston Hall, Birmingham, on September 20. 

 The holding the meeting in the midland counties enabled growers from 

 all parts to attend, including Dublin, which was represented by Mr. 

 Campbell. Late as the day was, the flowers were very large, and in 

 many instances very fine, and they also exhibited great variety. 



The nurserymen's classes consisted of 50 and 24 varieties, exhibitors 

 in the former not being allowed to show in the latter. In the fifties, the 

 first prize was awarded to Mr. C. Turner, Slough, for Commander, Lady 

 Mildmay, Mrs. Huntley, Lord Bath, Sir R. Bruce, John Dorey, Lord 

 Palmerston, Pandora, Chairman, Rosebud, Duchess of Kent, Sir 



