146 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ February 25, 1886. 
the trees drying in transit, planting is well and carefully 
done, and pruning prompt and rather severe. 
Dryness of the roots of trees obtained and planted in 
spring is the primary cause of failure, the trees either dying 
or struggling to keep alive instead of growing satisfactorily. 
It has fallen to my lot to see thousands of Larch and other 
trees ruined through the exposure of their roots during a 
long journey in spring when a dry air and brisk wind pre¬ 
vailed. Trees selected from the bulk that by some accidental 
cause had not their roots dried have been planted and grew ; 
an equal number with dried roots planted between them 
died. When trees arrive with the fibrous roots resembling 
dried hay, and there is no alternative but to accept them, 
the best plan that can be adopted is to immerse the bundles 
in a pond for two or three days. Many of the fibres will 
probably freshen, and those that do not should be cut clean 
off to where the stouter roots are fresh, and plant before these 
get dry again. 
When trees are purchased in the spring, moist roots on 
arrival should be a condition of acceptance ; and when they 
are kept moist till planted under favourable conditions fruit 
and forest trees of all kinds, Roses and shrubs will grow as 
well planted now and during the next few weeks as if they 
had been put in in December j ust before the frost. I had 
some Roses planted in the month just mentioned but the 
work could not be completed, and the remainder are still 
“ laid in.” They will be planted soon, and I am as positive 
as I can be of anything that they will grow just as well as the 
others ; and so they would if they were fruit trees. 
Plant trees now, but do not prune till the sap rises in 
spring, is advice often heard. It is given on the assumption 
that leaving the branches entire, or nearly so, accelerates the 
production of roots. This might possibly be so if the branches 
were always wet, but it certainly is not if they are exposed to 
several days of drying easterly winds that are so common in 
early spring. The wind acting on the surface of the bark 
extracts the moisture from it, and the greater the surface 
exposed the greater is the loss. Some Roses were planted 
last February, with growths ranging from 2 to 4 feet long. 
Some of them were not pruned at all, others being shortened 
more than half their length, and cut more closely towards 
the end of March. The pruned plants grew and flowered 
satisfactorily; some of the others died, and not one made 
anything approaching vigorous growth. The dry winds acting 
on the long shoots did the mischief. This only confirmed 
previous experience. Keep the roots of trees moist in transit, 
or while out of the ground ; plant carefully now, or when the 
ground and weather are favourable; stake securely, prune, 
and with such after attention as circumstances may dictate 
trees will grow well. In the case of standards planted against 
south walls, cr in fact, anywhere else, the advantage of 
wrapping damp haybands round the stems, and keeping 
them damp, is perhaps not sufficiently appreciated by every¬ 
body. —Experientia docet. 
ECONOMICAL AND SUCCESSFUL DAHLIA 
CULTURE. 
Many people object to growing Dahlias because they occupy so 
much ground. When I began cultivating them I felt I could not 
spare the ground, but I overcame that difficulty by planting early 
Potatoes on it. I always grow them on the same ground year after 
year. One reason is because 1 cannot get shelter from the wind in any 
other part of my garden ; and the other is, the ground being manured 
and the plants mulched every year, it is in better condition to grow 
the plants to perfection. 
My method of utilising the ground to best advantage is to get it 
well manured and dug by the middle of March, and then draw deep 
drills 4 feet asunder to plant the Potatoes in. They should be well 
sprouted and a short stake placed at the end of each row. I find 
Myatt’s Prolific the best, and it is astonishing what a heavy crop I 
get in this manner. They should have their final hoeing before the 
Dahlias are planted—that is, the last wetk in May or first in June. 
If the weather should be frosty the latter date will be the best. I 
drive the stakes for Dahlias between the rows 5 feet apart and put 
the plants about 6 inches from the stakes. As soon as the planting is 
done I get some sturdy Lettuce plants, and plant two or three 
between each pair of Dahlias to attract the slugs. These are visited 
by “ moonlight ” if available. Nothing but these nocturnal walks will 
cope with the pestp. 
About the first week in July I commence lifting the Potatoes for 
use as required, taking up those first that are likely to crowd the 
Dahlias. By the end of the month I take all the Potatoes up, level 
the ground, mulch the plants, and place a stake to each strong shoot, 
cutting out the weak ones, and well mulch the plants, beginning to 
disbud as soon as the buds are visible. After this time I water the 
plants twice a week and sprinkle the foliage every night if I can find 
time. I always endeavour to get buds on each plant in different 
stages of growth to have blooms for all the shows I want to exhibit at. 
I find those just unfolding their petals a fortnight before the date 
they are required are mostly in form for show. 
All cultivators find earwigs very troublesome. I can never find 
time for wrapping them, but put all the best shaped buds into muslin 
bags as soon as they begin to show colour, taking them off a day or 
two before the show, and, tying a little moss below the blooms, they 
very seldom get past that. I am most particular at this stage to keep 
the plants watered over the foliage every night. They do not like 
getting on the wet foliage, and clear water does not hurt the blooms. 
When I first began exhibiting people used to talk very much at out 
dressing the blooms. I have lived long enough to know if the flowers 
are not well grown no amount of dressing will make them fit for ex¬ 
hibition. If by chance a petal should get eaten or split it should be 
removed with the tweezers and the adjoining ones pressed round to 
fill up the space. u 
I hope as the season advances our veteran grower, “ H. G.’ will 
favour us with some cultural notes ; but Dahlia growers have little 
time for writing from June till the middle of September. And, now, 
Mr. Editor, if any of your readers object to this system of cultivation, 
I have only to say that by it in 1884 I succeeded in gaining eleven 
first and two second prizes, including a first at the National Show 
against fourteen competitors. Last year I did not exhibit at so many 
shows, but was awarded seven first, three second, and one third prize, 
and had the premier bloom at the National Show. 
I hope to see the above-named Society in a more flourishing state. 
At present it is languishing for lack of funds. I append twenty-four 
Show and twelve Fancy varieties that will come a good size with 
moderate cultivation and suitable for beginners, which is the object of 
my troubling you with this. 
Twenty-four Show varieties, in order of merit:—Mrs. Gladstone, 
Hon. Mrs. J. Wyndham, James Cocker, John Henshaw, Goldfinder, 
Joseph Ashby, Clara, Vice-President, Ethel Britton, Wm. Rawlings, 
Flag of 'Truce, Earl of Ravens worth, Miss Henshaw, Sunbeam, John 
N. Keynes, George Rawlings, Mrs. Jeffard, Constancy, Julia Wyatt, 
Miss Cannell, Mrs. Langtry, Prince of Denmark, Hope, and Rev. J. 
Godday. 
Twelve Fancy varieties, in order of merit :—Flora Wyatt, Pro¬ 
fessor Fawcett, Romeo, Rev. J. B. M. Camm, Lotty Eckford, Grand 
Sultan, Mrs. N. Halls, Fanny Stuart, John Forbes, Miss Browning, 
Chorister, and Oracle.—J. T. 
NOTES ON TOMATO CULTURE. 
That Tomatoes are “ grown ” in some establishments and 
“cultivated” in others is a fact well known to many members of 
the profession, especially those who are in the habit of visiting 
gardens, both large and small, and comparing the results obtained 
by this or by that practice. 
Much diversity of opinion prevails in respect to propagating 
Tomatoes either by cuttings or seeds. Having at one time a decided 
inclination for cuttings, it was our practice to get a large stock 
struck early in the autumn for winter and spring fruiting ; but 
were not long in relinquishing that system when a very decided 
decrease in our supply wa3 apparent—in one instance owing to the 
cuttings developing the disease (Peronospora), and in the other to 
clubbing of the root, the consequence being the dying of the 
points of the shoots in a very aggravating manner as the spring 
advanced. But since discarding all old plants and cuttings there¬ 
from our difficulties have considerably diminished. 
We have found it a good plan to sow the seed in pans the second 
week in August, and place the seedlings into 4-inch pots as soon as 
ready, by about the middle of September, when the strongest are 
selected for shifting into 7-inch pots, using some sound loam for 
that purpose, fibrous loam not being necessary. Moderately firm 
potting will be essential to promote a sturdy and fruitful growth. 
A stake not more than 18 inches long is supplied to each, and the 
stems secured thereto, when they are removed to a light airy posi¬ 
tion close to the glass, generally a shelf in an early Peach house. 
In a short time they will all simultaneously produce trusses of 
