224 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER 
[ Scptfm’ er 12,1S80. 
pleasing and refined appearance, but it lasts much longer when cut than 
star-like varieties, or those with separate petals. 
Of colours, we have such a wide range that it is not difficult to satisfy 
the most voracious desires in this direction. In self colours and shadings 
we have a range from the most brilliant and decided colours to the softest 
and most delicate tints, with the exception of the one cardinal colour, 
blue. Now we find increasing numbers of varieties with striped, tipped, 
flaked, and spotted flowers, many of them being very pretty in the com¬ 
bination of colours, and some of the most decided contrasts being very 
striking in effect. Attention is also being paid to the selection of 
specially dwarf varieties, and Mr. Girdlestone, the worthy Secretary of 
the National Dahlia Society, has already succeeded in raising a very 
dwarf strain. These consist of plants about 18 inches in height, 
bearing abundant blossoms of ordinary size, and are likely to be very 
useful for bedding. Promiscuous seed sowing and raising seedling 
plants give as a result a great variety of subjects, and an occasional 
plant may be selected of superior merit; but to obtain really satisfactory 
results, and to secure advance in any desired direction, it is necessary to 
be very careful in the selection of seed, and careful and systematic 
hybridisation must be resorted to with definite aims to insure advance 
in any definite direction. 
In the cultivation of the singles, do not overfeed them. Rich ground 
and stimulating manures will force them out of character, and produce 
rank growth and coarse flower. Select poor and heavy land for them, 
and, when planting, give them only sufficient manure close to the roots 
to give the plant early and rapid growth, and to carry it on to the flowering 
season. Then an occasional watering is all they require. Give them, 
in fact, the very opposite treatment to the doubles, or, in a word, feed 
the doubles, but starve the singles. In cutting single Dahlias always 
cut the flowers as young as possible, even before they are fully open. 
If cut thus young, and in the cool of the morning or evening, they will 
last for a long time. I name as a few of the best varieties in their 
sections :—Selfs (shaded varieties).—Albert Victor, Cetewayo, Formosa, 
Amos Perry, Henry Irving, Miss Linnaker, Queen of Singles, Duchess of 
Westminster, Alba Perfecta, \V. C. Harvey, Hugo, Miss Roberts. Mar¬ 
gined petals.—Duchess of Albany, Lady Montefiore, Victoria, Beauty of 
Uplands, Excelsior, James Kelway, Maude Millet, and Mrs. Conninck. 
Spotted, flaked, and striped.—James Scobie, Mrs. Kennett, Chrs. Laws, 
Scotch Lassie, and Mr. Rose. 
DECORATIVE AND CACTUS DAHLIAS. 
In this section we have again a new departure. The true Cactus 
Dahlia, Juarezi, was imported direct from Mexico. Isay true Cactus 
advisedly, because it is about the only variety that has the narrow- 
pointed petal, and the whole form of the flower so nearly representing a 
Cactus. But this variety, with its brilliant hue and unique form, is 
such a decided acquisition, that it has proved the pioneer of a distinct 
class that now occupies a very useful position, and it has opened up a 
new field of enterprise to the devotees of the queen of autumn flowers. 
All flowers that show a tendency to the free, open, and Cactus like 
character of this class are eagerly sought after. The field in this direc¬ 
tion is still open before us, and we shall doubtless see steady progress in 
the development of this section. What could be prettier or more useful 
than a good collection of Pompon Cactus, of decided colours, and minia¬ 
ture in size ? A few of the best varieties already raised are Beauty of 
Brentwood, Panthea, Wm. Rayner, Charming Bride, Empress of India, 
Juarezi, Lady Marsham, Mrs. Hawkins, Henry Patrick, Mr. Tait, Zulu, 
and Lady E. Dyke. 
Events of the W eek. —To-day (Thursday) the National Chrysan¬ 
themum Society’s Show will be continued at the Royal Aquarium ; 
also Exhibitions at Brighton, Derby, Edinburgh, and Newcastle-on- 
Tyne, the latter being continued on Friday. Committee meetings of the 
Royal Horticultural Society will be held on Tuesday, September 17th. 
There will be the usual auction sales at Protheroe & Morris’s and 
Stevens’s rooms. 
- The Weather in August.—T his month was changeable 
and wet up to the 26th, fine and bright after until the end ; only one 
clear day and eleven bright ones during the month. Rain fell on nine¬ 
teen days, total 2'92 inches. The greatest amount in twenty-four hours 
was 042 on 19th. Barometer was very changeable. Highest 30'28 at 
9 p.m. on 31st, lowest 22T9 at 9 a.m, on 20th. Highest shadest tempera¬ 
ture 81° on 1st and 30th, lowest 41° on 25th. Lowest on grass 36° on 
25th. Wind in a westerly direction on twenty-nine days. Garden 
spring running 25 gallons per minute on 31st. Harvest operations 
much delayed by the wet weather.— W. H. Divers, Ketton Hall, 
Stamford. 
- The Vegetable Conference at Chiswick to be held on 
September 24th, 25th, 26th, progresses in a promising manner, and, as 
might be expected, many interesting questions have arisen to demand 
consideration by the Executive Committee. Amongst these is one that 
is perhaps of primary importance. Intending exhibitors, in a few 
instances, desire to present collections, and to keep these intact as such. 
The Committee have determined that the printed schedule must be 
strictly followed, for in the first place this is not a competitive affair— 
there is, in fact, no ostensible competition—and the work of the Com¬ 
mittees of Selection cannot be efficiently performed unless the subjects 
submitted are grouped in classes required by the schedule. And this is 
a simple matter enough, and the schedule is as definite as can be desired. 
For this important work of selection six Committees of the most expe¬ 
rienced cultivators have been arranged, each of these Committees com¬ 
prising men familiar with the subjects they are appointed to operate 
upon, both as to nomenclature and the selection of typical examples. A 
large Committee of Referees will supplement the labours of the working 
Committees, these being held in readiness to settle doubtful points, and 
to advise generally as the working Committees may desire. The placing 
of all exhibits in the classes appointed for them is not only necessary to 
enable the Committees to act, but to render serviceable in the way 
intended in the primary idea of the Conference, the final awards of 
certificates for these will be awarded to the subjects, and will notify 
recognition of purity of types as well as good cultivation, the genuine¬ 
ness of the several “ types ” and “ strains ” being a matter of the first 
importance. All entries should be received by the 21st inst. At the 
dinner on the evening of the 24th, at which Mr. Harry Veitch will 
preside, we shall hope to see a great force of horticultural talent, as it 
is to be in a special sense a “ gardeners’ dinner.” Intending diners 
would do well to secure tickets early, by application direct to Mr. A. F. 
Barron at Chiswick. 
- A Bean Show at Banbury.—A somewhat novel exhibition 
took place in the Market Place, Banbury, on the 5th inst., on the occasion 
of Mr. Henry Devenll offering special prizes for the best twenty pods of 
Neal’s Ne Plus Ultra Runner Bean. Something like seventy entries 
were received from different parts of the country, and by consent of the 
municipal authorities these were arranged in a line of tables in the 
Market Place. A very fine lot of Beans were staged in the form of long) 
handsome, fresh, well coloured, and symmetrical pods, and the Judges 
proceeded to make their awards surrounded by a considerable body of 
the public, who appeared to be deeply interested in the competition. 
Eventually the first prize of 20s. was awarded to Mr. J. Hughes, The 
Gardens, Eydon Hall, Byfield, Northamptonshire ; second, 10s., to Mr. 
Coupland, gardener to Captain Benyon, Neithrop House, Banbury; 
third, Vs., to Mr. Wingrove, gardener to G. H. Nelson, Esq., M.P., 
Rousham Park, Oxford ; fourth, 5s., to Mr. Nicholls, gardener to C. 
Gillett, Esq., Wood Green, Banbury. Six other dishes were highly com¬ 
mended. 
- Large Onions. — In connection with the above Show Mr- 
Deverill exhibited a collection of his famous Onions, staging twelve 
bulbs of Rousham Park, weighing 20 lbs. ; twelve of Ailsa Craig, a 
magnificent new variety, weighing 30 lbs.; twelve of Cocoanut, weighing 
20 lbs.; twelve of Wroxton, weighing 15 lbs.; and twelve of Anglo- 
Spanish, weighing 18 lbs. One bulb of Anglo-Spanish measured 
18 J inches in girth, and weighed 2 lbs. 12 ozs. The largest of the twelve 
Rousham Park was 18 inches in girth, and weighed 1 lb. 13| oz3. In 
addition Mr. Deverill had a collection of examples of twenty to thirty 
varieties of the older varieties of Onions, which, together with the 
splendid examples above enumerated, it is his intention to send to the 
Vegetable Conference at Chiswick. 
- Acalypha tricolor. —This is a very useful plant for fur¬ 
nishing in a small state—that is, from 6 to 15 inches high. The foliage 
colours splendidly when the plants are grown cool and fully exposed to 
the sun. Young plants during the summer months are better in cold 
frames than in a heated structure. It will be necessary to remove the 
plants by the end of the month to a structure where the temperature 
will not fall below 50°. When good cuttings are rooted singly in small 
pots, and then placed into 4-inch pots and grown cool, the plants are 
short-jointed and the lower leaves fall gracefully over the pot and 
partially hide it from view. The heads of plants that have grown tall 
may still be rooted, and will be useful in 4 and 5-inch pots if grown on 
in a temperature of 50° to 55°. When this plant becomes unduly root- 
bound in small pots it invariably loses its lower leaves. Before this 
takes place the soil will become one mass of roots if the plants are 
