120 
CUEEANTS, SULTA^^AS, EATSINS, DEYING 0¥,— Currants,-^ 
Sultanas, which are almost identical with currants, will take about eight 
days to dry, require no dipping, and should be turned about the third day. 
Currants dry in a somewhat shorter time, but all depends upon the weather 
and the condition of the fruit. In all cases the fruit for raisins or currants 
should be perfectly ripe, without the slightest suspicion of acidity about it. 
Probably broad paling trays are best. Three palings will make a tray, and 
two pieces of 3 x 2 in. deal batten will >erve at the ends to nail the pailings 
to. Three to four tons of green fruit will make one ton of dry product. 
Irrigated fruit gives a lesser weight than that wliich is raised without irri- 
gation Grapes raised upon rich sandy calcareous land will be large, heavy, 
and meaty. Eaisins. — Muscats require an exposure to tlie full heat of the 
sun for about fourteen days, and should be turned over about the fifth or 
sixth day. If to be dried in bunches, 1 he gi’apes must not be dipped in 
boiling lye, because the bloom will be destroyed. Pudding r.tisins may be 
dipped for fifteen seconds in boiling lye made with 1 lb. of washing soda to 
ten gallons of vafer, and then rinsed for ten seconds in hot clean water to 
remove the soda. This will cause minute cracks all over the berries, and 
they will dry in less than a fortnight. The fruit should not dry up till it 
becomes brittle, but should be somewhat “ meaty.’* Wlxen dry enough, and 
before being “ sweated,** the berries should be run through the “ stemmer,” 
and next thiough the winnower to take out the stems. Then the fruit has 
to be put in lieaps to sweat, which w ill lake out any excess moisture from 
berries not dry enough, and will moisten those that are too dry. 
CUTTINGS.— In preparing these, as a rule it is advisable to cut close 
below a knot or joint at the base, because roots are in most cases formed most 
readily from thence. This, however, is not always the case, as will be seen 
by looking at the prostrate stems of verbenas and similar plants during 
very wet weather ; here roots will be observed coming out all along the inter- 
nodes, thus it will be quite immaterial where the incision be made. Cuttings 
of succulent plants should not be planted immediately after being cut; it is 
better to allow time for the wound to dry ; if the day be dry, an hour will 
do this ; if wet, allow a longer time. 
DAHLIAS. — The four classes into which Dahlias are divided by the 
Florist are Show, Fancy, Bouquet or Pompone, and Single-flowered. Show 
Dahlias are all double, and require to have large flowers of the most perfect 
form to be considered good. Selfs and pale-coloured flowers, edged or 
tipped with a darker colour, are included under Show varieties. Flowers 
of a similar size, but having florets dark -coloured at the base, and tipped or 
striped with a paler colour or white, are known as Fancy varieties. The 
Bouquet or Pompone, also fhose sometimes termed the Bedding section, 
have double flowers of a much smaller size ; various colours are included, 
and all are invariably very pretty ; the habit is dwarf and compact, consti- 
tuting these the best for bedding purposes, and the flowers are most useful 
for cutting when double ones are required. The Single-flowered varieties 
are very popular, and are amongst tho most beautiful and useful subjects 
cut flowers. — Diet, of Gard. 
DAMPING OFF. — (See “Diseases of Plants, and How to Check 
Them.”) 
DIANTHUS CAEYOPHi'LLUS.— The parent of those lovely flowers, 
Carnations, Picotee, Clove. 
The English Florist classifies these flowers thus : — Bizarres — Flow'ers 
with white ground, rayed or striped from the centre to the circumference, 
with bands of two or three clearly defined different colours or diflferent tints 
of the same colour. Flakes — These have also a white ground, but they are 
only striped or streaked with one colour. Ficotees — Instead of having their 
petals longitudinally striped, have them bordered with a different colour 
