OCTOBER. 237 



I had heard of budders cutting their germs as they went along. 

 I told George so. He replied that ' he shouldn't think they would 

 go along very fast then.' 



I took out ray timepiece to see how long the young man was in 

 setting a bud. He seized the tree, bent it down towards him, made 

 the two cuts, opened the bark, slipped in the bud, and off with the 

 top, in just twelve seconds! He set four in good shape in fifty seconds ! 

 Goodman said he never saw the beat of that. I told my neighbour, 

 that the job wouldn't last a great while' at that rate. The budder 

 said he didn't care how soon it was done, for it was a little worse for 

 the back than the spring- tooth horse-rake. 



To be sure, the budder' s position is unfavourable to a comfort- 

 able spine ; and ought he to follow such work many hours without 

 change ? 



By this time quite a number of buds were set, and I saw the 

 tying done. George had brought a new furniture-mat, which, cut in 

 squares, furnished the strings. These were well wet and tucked 

 through his left suspender. George had to down upon his knees, 

 and bend over pretty low to get a good chance at the work. He 

 placed the middle of the string a trifle below the upright cut in the 

 bark, and carried the ends around and around, keeping them firmly 

 drawn until the whole wound was faithfully covered, leaving only a 

 grain of space above the foot-stalk for the bud, which would have 

 ' more air' when the foot-stalk drops away. 



' Very good/ said I ; ' and what is the next process with such 

 a subject ?' 



' The next thing,' said George, ' is to cut off the string next 

 spring, after the bud has started. If it looks lively, and seems dis- 

 posed to grow, I cut off the whole tree down to within a few inches 

 of where the bud was inserted.' " 



ROYAL SOUTH-LONDON FLORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The closing exhibition for the year of this society took place at the 

 Surrey Zoological Gardens, Sept. 6th. The exhibition was the best 

 attended of any this season, and was in itself a great improvement 

 on the autumn show of 1852. Each department was well sustained, 

 the plants being numerous and exceedingly good for September. 

 The Messrs. Fraser, Rollisson, Over, Barnes, Gaines, Hamp, &c. &c, 

 were in their best condition ; but as the Dahlia was the leading 

 flower of the day, we give it precedence. The stands of this flower 

 were both good and numerous ; the first stands were much admired 

 for their close, compact shape, being deep and symmetrical, well varied 

 in colour, but not so large as we have seen them, although in our 

 opinion much more beautiful than large open flowers. The following 

 were the awards : 



Amateurs, 24 blooms: 1st, Mr. J. Robinson, Pimlico, with Duke 

 of Wellington, Admiral, Essex Triumph, Thames-Bank Hero, Bob, 



