General Notices. 231 



also be secured ; this will keep it in a firm position during the worst wea- 

 ther. Add large stakes as the plant advances, and keep the side-branches 

 secured. In this particular, there is generally some neglect ; by deferring 

 the tying until it can be done all at once, an unexpected high wind may strip 

 the plant of half its branches. 



I must strongly impress on those who wish to obtain fine large flowers, 

 the importance of tying the branches " out," not up in a bunch like a wheat- 

 sheaf, which is too often the case ; as it is essential that the sun and air should 

 circulate freely through the plant, as well as around it. 



Thinning. — Under this head, no definite rule can be laid down. Never 

 allow the plant to become full of small branches, and then removed at once ; 

 all superfluous shoots should be cut away as the plant progresses. It is also 

 injudicious to subject each variety to the same amount of thinning ; for, by 

 such treatment, as much injury will be done to some kinds as good to others. 

 Those that are generally too large and coarse must be spared ; when such 

 varieties as require size only should be thinned considerably. As I before 

 observed, no precise rule can be laid down ; and nothing but close observa- 

 tion in this important part will make the operator perfect. 



Nearly the same rules apply to disbudding. Those that it is necessary 

 to reduce in size must be deferred until a later period, which will bring the 

 flowers more compact, with smaller petals, and better general form. Infor- 

 mation will be obtained on this part of the subject, by referring to the an- 

 nexed catalogue, which cannot be given in detail here. 



Shading of Blooms. — Here the enthusiast often makes a sad mistake, by 

 being too anxious, giving himself extra trouble, and, at the same time, spoil- 

 ing the blooms he so much wishes to preserve, by shading them too long 

 before they are wanted ; shading out of character many of the light flowers, 

 and making all tender, and less able to bear a journey, or exposure when put 

 up for competition. It is requisite to shade some light flowers, and some 

 of the yellows, earlier than others, in order to produce them clear and dis- 

 tinct : when, on the other hand, those with slight tips, or marking, must be 

 deferred ; otherwise, the face of the bloom would be without its character- 

 istic feature — indistinct blush, instead of the attractive tip or edge. 



The time required for shading before a given day when the blooms are 

 wanted, must, in a great measure, depend on the weather. Four or five 

 days will be sufficient for an early show, but, as the season advances, ex- 

 tend the time ; and secure the buds or young blooms likely to be good, 

 from friction against the neighboring blooms and foliage, by tying them to 

 stakes or parts of the plant. 



There are many kinds of shades in use for protecting the blooms, of vari- 

 ous degrees of merit. Those I prefer are made of tin, painted white. A 

 spring in the ferule attached to the side of the shade fixes it at any height 

 it may be required ; the stalk of the bloom is then crossed, and firmly secured 

 to the stake, leaving the bloom fixed under the centre of the shade. 



Pots, inverted on what are termed tables, are desirable for some varieties. 

 I do not prefer them for general use ; one great disadvantage being the 

 time occupied, in fixing the bloom, being double that of the shades above 



