FLORICULTURAL GLEANINGS. 277 



while the background of the picture to the westward was finished by 

 the towering summits of the Simonside Hills, looking down in 

 frowning majesty upon the plains below. Turning to the eastward, 

 a wide extent of cultivated country lay spread out at my feet, with 

 the crystal stream of the Coquet winding her way through it to 

 mingle her limpid waters with those of the dark blue ocean. After 

 contemplating this scene for some time, I pursued my way till I 

 found myself at the wicket leading to Lorenzo's cottage. I had the 

 pleasure of finding him at home, and 'after the usual friendly greet- 

 ings were over, we were soon in the depth of a floricultural conver- 

 sation, and as happy as two monarchs talking about the weal of 

 their several states. We soon had the table covered with Chronicles, 

 Cabinets, and Gazettes, and experienced that — 



A friend, a book, the stealing hours secure, 

 And mark them down for wisdom. 



But the sun was fast ne.aring the western horizon, and I resolved to 

 make an inspection of Lorenzo's flower-garden before night closed 

 around us. We therefore sallied forth, and I found it as usual a 

 picture of neatness. His tulip bed was already planted up, and the 

 next bed for his ranunculuses was already made up and ready for 

 planting the ensuing spring. His pink pipings were strong and 

 planted out, his carnation and picotee layers carefully potted off, 

 and the skeleton beds neatly levelled, and raked as carefully as if it 

 had been in the height of the blooming season. His dahlia roots 

 had that day been unearthed, and were carefully ticketed and stand- 

 ing on the walk ready for removal to their winter-quarters. And 

 where were those winter-quarters ? This is a question of the greatest 

 importance to the dahlia grower, and one that many will like to see 

 answered to their satisfaction, after the heavy losses they experienced 

 in their stock of roots last winter. For their information then, and 

 in the hope that the fact may be of some use to some of the readers 

 of the Cabinet, I beg to give them Lorenzo's mode of keeping his 

 roots, which has hitherto been a successful one. After drying his 

 roots for a few days within doors, and then gently rubbing off' the 

 soil from them, and draining out the wet from the hollow stems when 

 necessary, by letting them stand a day or two inverted, he then packs 

 them away into a deep cellar, placing them upon the floor but without 



