434 THE GARDENER. [Sept. 



Hawthornden. The best twelve Pears for succession on Quince Stocks will be 

 found in the following : Williams's Bon Chretien, Fondante d'Antonne, Jersey 

 Gratioli, Suffolk Thorn, Comte de Lamy, Louise Bonne of Jersey, Marie Louise, 

 Passe Colmar, Glout Morceau, Beurre d'Aremberg, Winter Nelis, and Beurre 

 Ranee. All these can be obtained of any nurseryman in a nice pyramid form. 



Hardy Clematises (Q. J.) — The best, most distinct, and most floriferous of 

 Jackman's lot are Jackmannii and Rubella. Both of these you should have. 

 Lady Bovill, which looks much better on paper than it was shown at Oxford by 

 Messrs Jackman & Son, has very much of the habit of C. lanugniosa about it, 

 and never will be so free as the one first named. Get the two just named at 

 once, and wait a bit for light varieties till something definite is known of them. 

 Mr Charles Noble of Bagshot, and Messrs Thomas Cripps & Son, Tunbridge 

 Wells, are to send out some very fine new varieties shortly. 



Exhibiting Dahlias (A Young Beginner). — The following remarks will be found 

 to contain, in a condensed form, the rules laid down by Messrs Glenny, Turner, 

 and other prominent exhibitors of the Dahlia : First, then, we recommend young 

 exhibitors to cut the flowers that are most perfect ; that is to say, with centres as 

 full up and outlines as fine as they can find them, without regard to colour or 

 size. Of course, among these there will be some large, some middling, and some 

 even less than middling, therefore the next thing is to divide them into the three 

 sizes. Beginning, then, with the largest that are perfect, they must begin with 

 the back row. If they can, they should put the best two light ones at the top 

 corners, and the best two dark ones next to them, working towards the centre. 

 The next two must be the next best light ones they can produce, and the next 

 best dark ones in the centre. They may then look to the middle-row size, and 

 put the best two dark ones at the two ends, under the two top corners ; two 

 light ones next under the top dark ones, then two other dark and two light 

 ones in the centre. The bottom row is done after the plan of the top; and when 

 these are all arranged, look among the spare flowers to see if any are better than 

 you have already placed, but be careful that you have no duplicates, because two 

 of one sort disqualifies the stand. It is just possible that you may be deficient 

 of light or dark flowers, and unable to carry out the plan to your liking. In this 

 case, see if you can mend matters by putting larger flowers in the second or third 

 row, instead of carrying out the three sizes complete, remembering the four corners 

 are always the more striking when light. Again, it may be that light flowers are 

 scarce; you must then substitute the brightest. Now whites, edged flowers, 

 lilacs, and yellows, and even orange colours, may be fairly used as light. Next to 

 these, bright scarlet may be so appropriated ; but purples are all dark, and heavy 

 crimsons; and even when a majority of dark flowers prevents us from doing as we 

 wish, still a great deal may be done by uniformity of arrangement, not to have 

 two dark ones together, except in the centre, nor two light ones. When they all 

 run too much of one character, there will be shades of difference to enable us to 

 do something towards uniformity. A stand of twelve must be done in the same 

 way, keeping the outsides in the top and bottom rows as light as we can, and 

 the centres as dark as we can, and the middle row reversed. We are quite sure 

 that uniformity in a stand is a strong point in its favour ; and judges, if they do 

 their duty, are bound to notice it so far that w T hen two stands are equal in other 

 respects, the stand properly arranged should have the benefit. Simple as this 

 may seem, let any one go over a number of stands in an extensive show, and he 

 will see more than half of them set up without the slightest attempt at arrange- 

 ment, and many a stand of really good flowers spoiled by a total disregard to any 



