125 



ie£R-POST FOR pypXHr^SERS 

 B¥ ?mm, SEEDS, ETC. 



A SELECTION OF FIFTY DAHLIAS. 



Light. — Miss Henshaw, Lady Popliam, Miss 

 Pressley, Qaeen of Summer, Her Majesty, Char- 

 lotte Dcrling, White Perfection, Lady of the 

 Lake. 



Yellow and 0/'a??^e. — Chairman, Hugh 

 Miller, Charles Turner, Willie Austin, Golden 

 Admiration, Bullion, Leah. 



Crimson and Red. — Madge Wildfire, Lord 

 Palmerston, Triomphe de Pecq, Scarlet Gem, ]Marquis of 

 Winchester. 

 Lilac. — Baron Taunton, Juno, Marr[uis of Bowraout, Criterion, Lilac 

 Queen. 



Purple and Maroon. — Empress of India, Duke of Wellington, Lord Derby, 

 Midnight, Earl of Pembroke, Erebus, Coronet, George Rawlings, James Back- 

 house. 



Striped and Spotted.— Zehr^i, Countess of Shelbourne, Mrs. H. Holborn, 

 Charles Perry, Garibaldi, Harlequin, Startler. 



Tipped. — ^tafl'^iTcT s, Gem, Duchess of Kent, Lady Paxton, Magician, Norah 

 Creina, Pigeon, Fanny Sturt, Annie, Pluto. 



A selection of about 200 varieties of Dahlias will be found in the *' Garden 

 Oracle" for 1867. 



GARDEA^ GUIDE FOR APRIL. 



Kitchen Garden. — The weather has been so bad for some time pasf, that in very 

 few places has the garden work been carried on as could be wished. It is very 

 important to get all seeds sown as soon as possible ; but it is no use to push the 

 work fast if the ground is wet and will not work kindly. The moment the ground 

 is dry enough to allow of it, put on all available force, and get in seeds, potatoes, 

 and whatever else should now be growing. It is very importatit to be early in sow- 

 ing winter greens, as they never do well unless they have a long season ; this is 

 especially the case with Scotch kale and Brussels spi-outs. Peas and beans that are 

 up must have attention ; draw the earth to them, and dust with lime or wood ashes. 

 If every part of the kitchen garden were dusted with lime at this time of year it 

 would be immensely beneficial, as the vermin are active, and vegetation is in a con- 

 dition to suffer more from their attacks than in the height of summer. It should 

 be remembered, too, that lime is a fertilizer, so when it has killed the vermin, it 

 will remain to benefit the plants. We liave completely cleaned neglected plots of 

 ground that were foul with vermin by very light dustings of fresh lime about eveiy 

 three weeks, from the end of March to the end of July, and. the land has been im- 

 proved at the same time. We have already given lists of what we consider the best 

 varieties of vegetables to grow this season ; but we wish to direct attention espe- 

 cially to Stuart and Mein's (of Kelso, X.B.), Dalmeny Sprouts, Albert Sprouts, and 

 Fearnought Cabbage, as amongst the mcst hardy and most useful of all winter 

 greens. 



Flower Gardct. — Xow is an admirable time to purchase and plant all kinds of 

 hardy herbaceous plants. Nine-tenths (and more) of all that :ire worth growing 

 will do well in mellow loam that has been dLcply dug and moderately manured. As 

 a rule, open sunny spots are best for them ; but many good things will grow in the 

 shade. All flower-beds not yet touched since last year should be dug, and a little 

 manure put in, and left 1-ather rough, to be ready for the bedding. Never rake 

 flower-beds very fine ; a certain roughness of surfiice is essential to the well doing 

 of whatever is planted in them. 



