136 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 
plant with at least six shoots from the bottom, each shoot secured to 
agood stake. I would allow eight or ten shoots if I could, and count 
upon a few good blooms from every shoot. A certain amount of 
thinning upwards will generally be required, but, as the varieties 
differ in habit to some extent, and soils and seasons influence the 
growth, the cultivator must use a little judgment. I advise him to 
make sure of a good plant, and to thin too little rather than too 
much if in doubt about it, taking care, of course, to thin sufficiently 
to insure a free circulation of air amongst the branches. 
Generally speaking, the plant produces more flower-buds than it 
can bring to perfection for the quality we desire. But the operation 
of disbudding requires judgment. The beginner who does not see 
his way any way may safely remove all the buds that are produced, 
save and except the centre bud of every group. As the buds usually 
show themselves in threes, this system removes two-thirds of the 
whole crop, and the remainder suffices for a good: display. As 
experience is gained, it will be found that varieties characterized by 
the production of thin flowers may be disbudded as soon as the buds 
are fairly visible ; for, strange to say, the result of the’ operation is 
the thickening of the flowers that are allowed to develope. In the 
case of doubtful kinds, and especially such as come “ cross-eyed,”’ it 
is well to wait for a bud with a “ pin hole,’’ that is, a visible aperture 
in the centre. This pin-eyed bud wili produce a good flower; there- 
fore keep it, and remove those that are cross-eyed. Those with 
“hard” eyes must be very slightly thinned, for by allowing them 
to perfect a number of flowers we reduce their vigour and improve 
their eyes—the hard eye being the result of a superabundance of 
stuff in the flower. The hard-eyed sorts should be planted as early 
as possible. 
Suapine THE Frowers.—It is impossible to put up a good 
stand of dahlias unless some amount of shading is resorted to. But 
shading in dahlia-culture is one of the fine arts, and the amateur 
must give his mind and his hands to it, if resolved to cut flowers 
that shall bring him honour. The shades I have always preferred 
consist of painted calico on wire frames, and there is any amount of 
wear inthem. It will be a nice point with the amateur to determine 
how long to shade a flower ; and, to initiate him into the mystery, 
I will suppose we have before us a swelling bud of a tipped variety, 
and we wish to insure a grand flower. To be ina hurry to shade 
will spoil it, for we want the tips well coloured, and the sun is the 
painter of the flowers. We will therefore wait until two rows of 
petals are down, and then put on the shade to promote the purity 
of the light tint which contrasts so pleasingly with the richly-coloured 
tips. In August, a bloom will come to perfection in three or four 
days after the first row of petals are down, but at the end of Sep- 
tember it will take a week. 
Stacine THz Frowers.—In selecting the blooms for exhibition, 
take those only which are well up in the centre, the eye well covered, 
and the petals and florets uninjured. If there is a choice of blooms 
of any of the varieties possessing these essential qualities, the largest 
and most pure in colour shor'd be selected The evening or early 
