472 THE GARDENER. [Oct. 



thus covered with it about here." Acting on this idea, Mr Dancer had placed 

 out a small plantation of Asparagus : how it will succeed he will be able to show 

 next spring. 



All rubbish, such as the prunings of trees, &c, is collected together, and 

 burned, and the ashes so obtained used to sprinkle over plants affected by fly, 

 which are dispersed if not killed by the application. 



Such are a few of the chief features of one of the leading fruit - gardens 

 about London. There are many of them, and they furnish many excellent hints 

 and suggestions to observant minds. A walk through any one of them at any 

 season of the year would not be labour altogether lost. 



DAHLIA EXPERIENCES. 



"A Four Years' Subscriber" desires us to give a list of Dahlias of 1868 and 1869 

 which can be recommended for form, constancy, and size. His soil, he states, is 

 a very heavy one, and he is compelled to use an abundance of manure, which he 

 thinks is the reason why so many sorts come "seedy" with him. He has for- 

 warded two lists of Dahlias, one containing varieties he can grow, the other those 

 he cannot grow. The former includes Mr Dix, Vice-President, Miss Henshaw, 

 Criterion, Mrs Dodds, white tipped with purple ; Baron Taunton, Annie Neville, 

 Caroline Tetterell, Firefly, Hugh Miller, Sir Greville Smythe, Buttercup, Lady 

 Gladys Herbert, Mrs Boston, Annie Keynes, Madlle. Nillsson, Flossy Gill, Andrew 

 Dodds, Paradise Williams, Heroine, Julia Wyatt, Lady Jane Ellis, Emperor, 

 Chancellor, Leah, Ellen Potter, Imperial, Golden Drop ; and the following fancy 

 varieties : — Grand Sultan, Ebor, Samuel Bartlett, Prospero, Attraction, Billy 

 Button, Master Johnny, President Lincoln, Butterfly, and Fanny Sturt. The 

 following is the list of Dahlias our correspondent cannot grow to his satisfaction : 

 — Clai'a Simons, Scarlet Gem, James Backhouse, Artemus Ward (fancy), Princess 

 Alice, Favourite (fancy) ; Gbairman and Mrs Dodds, yellow ; all of which 

 are described as coming seedy; Hebe, James Hunter, Lord Derby, British 

 Triumph, John Kirby, Hon. Mrs G. Wellesley, Guardsman, Samuel Nay lor, 

 Regularity (fancy), Mrs Brunton, Lady Popham, Miss Roberts, Mrs Edgar Green, 

 and Queen Mab (fancy), as small ; Lady Derby, hard centre ; Queen of Sports 

 (fancy), small and thin; Miss Ruth (fancy), coarse; Chameleon (self), hard 

 centre; Albion, pointed and small ; Yellow Boy, bad centre; Earl Russel, bad shape 

 and low centre ; and Flambeau, small and hard centre. Our correspondent states 

 that both lots of flowers had similar treatment ; the plants were well cut out, an 

 abundance of manure dug in, a top-dressing of manure given, and a liberal allow- 

 ance of guano-water; these have produced the foregoing results. "I have no 

 doubt," he adds, "that the seedy condition of many of the flowers has been 

 caused by cutting out, but several years' experience has proved that I must do 

 this in order to get size, which is a most desirable thing on the exhibition table. 

 I trust you will be able to name a few sorts, fancy and selfs, which will bear my 

 treatment and at the same time embody the requirements mentioned in my le! ter — 

 viz., form, size, and constancy." 



The foregoing remarks are not without their use to other cultivators of the 

 Dahlia, and we have thought it well to publish them. We sent our correspon- 

 dent's letter and lists on to Mr Chas. Jas. Perry, of Birmingham, for many years 

 past one of the most successful amateur cultivators of the Dahlia, and the follow- 

 ing is his reply : — 



