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THE FLOWER GROWER'S GUIDE. 



Varieties. — Named varieties, of which there are many, come true from seed, always 

 provided proper care is taken in keeping them together, and distant from other varieties 

 at flowering time. There is also a tendency to doubling in some of the flowers— a 

 doubtful improvement, while a new race with feathered or plumy segments seems on the 

 point of evolution. With all these changes going on, no good purpose would be served 

 in offering descriptions and selections; intending purchasers are therefore advised to 

 procure seed of the best flowering strains, similar to those represented in a coloured 

 plate which will be found on reference to the index. 



Insect Pests. 



Cyclamens are liable to be infested by red spider, thrips, and small green and 

 black aphides. Keeping the young plants growing in a moist atmosphere, syringing 

 and dewing them over as previously advised, are good preventives of red spider, and 

 usually of thrips as well. The green and black fly prove the most troublesome, 

 and unless the plants are kept free from the pests very little progress will be made. 

 Ordinary fumigation with tobacco smoke does not reach the insects sufficiently to 

 destroy many of them. The old remedy was to dip the plants in a decoction of 

 quassia chips and soft soap, or tobacco water obtained by either soaking tobacco paper 

 or shag tobacco in water and freely diluting, laying the plants on their sides and syring- 

 ing them clean a few hours afterwards. Fumes of nicotine generated with the aid of 

 a " vapouriser " is the latest and best preventive, and can safely be applied in pits and 

 frames. 



DAHLIAS. 



The Dahlia (Dahlia variabilis) is a native of Mexico, and was first introduced to 

 Europe by Yincentes Cervantes in 1789, who forwarded seeds to the Botanic Garden 

 at Madrid. The plants raised from these seeds flowered the following year and were 

 called Dahlias after Dr. Dahl, a Swedish botanist. In 1800 the new flowers were 

 cultivated at Berlin, and in 1802 at the Jardin des Plantes, Paris. Little progress was 

 made in their improvement until 1812, when Mons. Donckelaar, Louvain, succeeded in 

 raising some semi-double flowers, and the next season obtained perfectly double ones. 

 Seeds were also sent to England in 1789 by Lady Bute from Madrid, and in 1804 

 Lady Holland obtained more seeds from the same source ; Lord Holland's librarian 

 succeeded in flowering the three then known varieties, coccinea, crocea, and purpurea, 



