84 THE FLORIST. 



showed signs of more vigour. By th? beginning of November, ihey 

 had ripened what little wood they made, well, and were full of blossom 

 buds ; they then got what little pruning was necessary, and at the same 

 time I had all the dung and leaves removed that had been placed on 

 the top of the roots the year before. Under this covering, I found the 

 soil literally matted wiih fibrous healthy yellow-looking roots, on the 

 top of which I placed two or three inches of charred refuse, and on 

 the top of that about six inches of good sound loam. The next season, 



1857, they bloomed well, and set an immense crop, but they got well 

 thinned, no more being left than I thought they could bring to per- 

 fection, which they did, and for size and flavour they could not well be 

 surpassed, not a crack or spot being about them. The last season, 



1858, they again produced a very heavy crop — eighteen bushels 

 of Apples and four of Pears — all fine rosy cheeked shiny fruit, as any 

 one could wish to see, with not the least signs of degeneracy about 

 them. My employer tells me he has now more fruit than he ever had 

 from all the trees in his garden. This is the result of my experiments 

 with degenerate trees. But if people still persist in planting, and what 

 is still worse, going to the trouble of making up borders, which when 

 done, are only fit to grow gourds in, then we shall have disease in all 

 its forms, attacking our trees, and nothing but disappointment can 

 follow. Let them replant in pure loam, and we shall soon have 

 different results. I must now tell you what I intend doing with these 

 trees. If they should show the least signs of over luxuriance, I shall 

 root prune, and fill up the trench with pure loam ; but if, on the contrary, 

 they should show signs of weakness, I shall top dress with pure loam, 

 and apply copious draughts of liquid manure. Through the summer 

 months, in this way, I can regulate their growth at pleasure, and 

 supply fresh food when they require it, 



c. w. c. 



NATIONAL DAHLIA SHOW. 



With Mr. Perry's remarks relating to the management of the National 

 Dahlia Show, I quite agree, and I think that one reason why it should 

 not be held in London is, that London is not, by a long way, the 

 central town of England. No doubt, southern growers would prefer St. 

 James's Hall to any other place, on account of its easy accessibility ; 

 but the northern and midland growers, on the same ground, have good 

 reason to object to it ; and I see, by your list of subscribers, that many 

 have contributed, who, from the great distance they reside from the 

 metropolis, could not be expected to visit the show. Mr. Perry's 

 proposition respecting prizes for seedling Dahlias cannot fail to give 

 satisfaction — and will, if carried out, be of great surface to many situated 

 like myself, who cannot afford to buy all the new Dahlias advertised 

 each year ; and from not knowing which are the best and most constant 

 varieties, usually leave my orders until the second year, when better 

 opportunities are afforded of judging what will best suit. Now, if six 

 blooms of any seedling should be shown, and beat a known variety of 



