THE DAHLIA 225 



stems to four in the case of the Show, Fancy, and Cactus 

 varieties. Singles and Pompons should be allowed more freedom. 

 The side branches may be drawn a little away from the central 

 shoot, and given short stakes of their own. The advantage of 

 this plan is that it effectually prevents overcrowding, and insures 

 the development and display of the flowers. Staking and tying 

 must be thorough, or the first gale may work havoc. 



Disbudding. Those who want exhibition blooms must reduce 

 the buds to one the central or crown when two or more come 

 together, as is often the case. Side-shoots with flower-buds will 

 probably break from the stems, but these must be pinched out at 

 once. It will be understood that severe disbudding is no more 

 desirable than thinning of shoots in the case of the Pompons, as 

 it will have the effect of causing them to produce large flowers, 

 and these are not wanted. It does not follow that the first buds 

 which show should be kept for exhibition ; they may come too 

 early. This is a matter upon which it is very difficult to advise 

 the beginner, because the dates of shows differ, and so does the 

 rate of progression of the buds, the latter being affected by weather 

 and local circumstances. It is well to have more than one plant 

 of each variety, and to have buds in various stages. 



Slugs and Earwigs. It is hard to say which is the worse of 

 these two pests. The former is troublesome in early summer, 

 when the plants are young; the latter later on, when they have 

 developed and the buds have formed. Slugs may be kept away 

 by the use of lime, either scattered round the plants in a dry 

 state, or watered on at night. Or they may be trapped with heaps 

 of brewer's grains. Earwigs principally feed at night, and hide by 

 day ; hence the plan of inverting small flower-pots, with a little 

 hay stuffed in to form a nest, on the top of the stakes, and 

 examining them daily. 



Protection for Show Flowers. The last two or three weeks 

 before a show constitute a critical time in the career of exhibition 



