350 THE GARDENER. [Aug. 



after Laving been a few weeks in their flow^ering quarters, as our 

 cuttings were last autumn when taken off the parent plants. I 

 know there is want of room pleaded in such cases, but one large 

 plant will go as far, and be much more effective than four small ones, 

 as it takes the latter several weeks before they attain to a flowering 

 size ; whereas large plants, on the other hand, are effective at once. 

 Another point worth paying attention to in taking cuttings from the 

 plants in beds is this : in removing tlie points of shoots in a haphazard 

 manner from the plants, you not only saddle yourself with a lot of 

 small plants which are difficult to winter, and which take a long time 

 to grow to a decorative size after being planted, but you also to a 

 certain extent damage the plants materially, if you look for a con- 

 tinued and late bloom. By selecting large cuttings, and in the 

 process giving your plants a judicious thinning, you allow the plants 

 room for the development of a thin crop of shoots, which will carry 

 the blooming season on as late as the state of the weather will allow. 

 Geraniums are, in the colours in which we have them, by far the 

 most effective dwarf-growing plants for massing purposes ; and the 

 time they continue in bloom under ordinarily good treatment is so 

 long continued, that any slight trouble is always worth taking in their 

 case. I do not know that the large - trussing varieties are as good 

 bedders, especially late in the season, as are older sorts with smaller 

 Hower-trusses. Any sorts I have tried have shown a tendency to 

 damp off in the centre of the truss long before the outer pips were 

 past, giving either an appearance of dirtiness to the w^hole, or causing 

 the loss of a good deal of bloom if all such trusses are removed. 

 Vesuvius, taking all points into consideration, is about the best bed- 

 ding Geranium of the day. Its comparative hardiness is also 'greatly in 

 its favour. Last season, when other sorts had been greatly damaged by 

 frost, this variety kept on blooming for a long time. Unfortunately 

 the sports which have been obtained of late years from A^esuvius have 

 been of no value in any respect. Should a clear or bright pink or rose 

 sport turn up, we would doubtless obtain an acquisition. 



Dahlias. — In order to obtain a fine late bloom of these, the shoots 

 must be kept well thinned out. This does not apply to bedding sorts 

 so much as to the show and fancy varieties, which make splendid deco- 

 rative plants till late into the autumn. The plants also require to 

 be securely staked to withstand September gales ; and during this 

 month, should it prove very dry, one soaking of water ought to carry 

 the plants through an ordinary term of drought. Of course this applies 

 in greatest force to deep, well-cultivated soils. Though our soil is an, 

 open one, it very rarely happens that w^ater is required for these. Deep 

 trenching in winter saves the summer use of the water-pot. 



Gladiolus. — Under the same circumstances, these will require a good 

 watering this month, — in the first place to finish the spikes, w-hich are 

 well advanced during this month, and also to plump up the corms for 



