38 The Dahlia 



upon the number of plants he will require. He 

 should then put himself in communication with some 

 firm that makes the growing of Dahlias a specialty. 

 Such a firm is likely to have all " up-to-date " varieties ; 

 and, being jealous of its own reputation, is likely to 

 serve its customers well. If he has a friend who can 

 give him trustworthy information as to the kinds he 

 ought to grow, that friend may prove to him a " friend 

 in need " ; if not, he had better leave the selection to 

 the seller. If he selects his own varieties, he should 

 always add an extra name or two, lest any of those 

 he has chosen should not be ready. All orders for 

 Dahlias should be placed in the sellers' hands as early 

 in the season as possible. The buyer who attends to this 

 gets the best of the plants, the cream of the varieties, 

 and delivery possibly a fortnight earlier than he could 

 otherwise have done an advantage not to be despised 

 in late districts. He may also secure some of the choicer 

 varieties, which do not keep well, are consequently 

 scarce, and could not be had later. In this, as in other 

 provinces, it is the early bird that gets the early worm. 

 Supposing that the order has been placed in the 

 hands of a firm some considerable distance from the 

 buyer's home, there is no safer mode of transit than by 

 Parcel Post. The plants when unpacked, after a 

 journey of possibly hundreds of miles, will in all 

 probability be as fresh -looking as when they were 

 placed in the box by careful hands. 



POTTING 



In anticipation of their arrival, soil and pots should 

 be in readiness. The former should, if possible, con- 



