232 General Notices. 



described. Flowers ■with weak foot-stalks are best secured under pots. 

 Avoid any contrivance that will not admit the air freely. 



Those who have grown the Dahlia for exhibition will be fully alive to the 

 importance of keeping down insects, more particularly the common enemy, 

 the earwig. Many plans are adopted for this purpose : the most common, 

 and, perhaps, most effectual, being with small pots half-filled with dry 

 moss, placed on the stakes that support the plants, and bean-stalks placed 

 about them, to which they retire. The most active vigilance is necessary, 

 as they fly from plant to plant ; but, commence early to examine the plant, 

 and keep them down as much as possible. The surface of the ground 

 should frequently be moved ; it will require to be forked up between the 

 plants about five or six weeks after they have been planted. Cleanliness 

 should be observed in every department, and at every stage of their growth, 

 or success will be any thing but certain. 



Watering. — From constant watering, the soil near the plant will become 

 baked and hard. It will, therefore, be best to mulch them with partly- 

 decomposed manure ; this should be done immediately after they have been 

 forked over, as it will keep the roots nearest the surface moist. 



Use soft water, if possible. If not naturally so, pump it, in the morning, 

 into tubs or tanks, leaving it to the action of the sun and air ; to be used in 

 the evening. AA'hen the plants have become large, it will be necessary to 

 give them considerable quantities at a time, instead of frequent waterings; 

 but this, of course, will depend upon the state of the weather, soil, &c. On 

 no account neglect giving them a slight sprinkling overhead, through a fine 

 rose or syringe, in dry weather, after the sun has left them ; as the dew 

 following this operation, will keep the plants in a wet state until the follow- 

 ing morning, which will prove a preventive of the thrip, and keep the 

 earwigs from eating the points of the young shoots, which they often do 

 before any blooms appear. The color and size of the foliage will also soon 

 show the beneficial effects of this practice. 



Selecting Blooms for Exhibition often puzzles the most experienced grow- 

 ers, — the dark selfs being so much more numerous and superior in shape 

 to the light flowers, that, in selecting twenty-four, one or two points often 

 have to be sacrificed — either shape, or contrast in colors. I recommend that 

 as much diversity of color should be introduced as possible, with due regard 

 to shape and perfect centres. Much can be done by arrangement ; yet we 

 often see stands contain a whole row of flowers of great similarity. At all 

 times, place deep circular flowers at the four corners ; and select quality 

 before size. If a bloom is observed to be shaky behind, or inclined to open 

 in the centre, when packing up your box, it may safely be concluded that 

 it will not make one of the number required, by the time it is wanted. Dis- 

 card it at once, and look for the next best of the same sort. 



If the blooms are intended to travel a long distance, provide plenty of 

 young ones in addition. 



Never, unnecessarily, handle the blooms. It should be remembered 

 that all this pains-taking has been to produce them in the highest state of 



