4 
THE FLORIST. 
judges, yet in many instances they are, and no one can deny it. At 
Edinburgh, in September last, we assisted as a judge, and there the 
plan of affixing a motto and not the name of the exhibitor is adopted, 
this motto being in the exhibitor’s hand-writing. We immediately 
recognised the hand-writing of many, being well acquainted with it. 
And is not this often the case when this peculiar plan is adopted? 
Away with this absurd secresy! say we. Away with it! and be 
honest and trusting. Insist on honesty in others, and any departure 
from it must meet the degradation it deserves. Make it compulsory, too, 
that everything should be named correctly, whether plant, flower, fruit, 
or vegetable. The necessity for this must be obvious, when we see with 
what interest the productions at the various flower-shows are inspected. 
At Newcastle-on-Tyne, two or three bystanders were gazing with some 
degree of wonder on a Melon, and asked us what it was. One of the 
great aims of horticultural societies should be, through their exhibitions, 
to encourage a taste for horticultural pursuits, aud to encourage the 
production of new introductions of sterling merit, and it is of importance 
to all that everything should be named, to enable those who frequent 
the exhibitions to make a selection for their own gardens. 
Among flowers, none is more extensively cultivated northwards than 
the Dahlia, and yet we know of no plant—the Pelargonium excepted 
—more mismanaged. Many will exclaim, with some degree of bitter¬ 
ness—“ Look at the season.” Granted. We look at the season, and 
confess to its having been unfavourable, and have still seen a fine 
display of bloom in various districts ; but what we complain of is that 
even in good seasons better culture is not exhibited, so as to produce 
good blooms of good quality. We trust Mr. Sivewright will pardon us 
for alluding to his very fine plants of the past season. In Scotland, the 
season for Dahlias has been exceedingly unfavourable, and yet this 
gentleman, in his garden at Cargilfield, near Edinburgh, had some of 
the finest plants we have ever seen, and plenty of fine blooms. The 
plants were shifted early into large pots and grown on, and became 
strong vigorous plants before they were planted out. They were not 
planted out, we believe, until the end of June, when the weather had 
become settled, and all fear of a check had passed away. We need 
scarcely say that this is the plan recommended by us for years past, 
and this is one of the secrets of success in Dahlia growing. The 
universal fault is planting out too early, and the plant receives a severe 
check and becomes wiry, and does not begin growing for two or three 
weeks after, and then in many cases does not swell readily. The plant 
should have no check whatever after being planted, but be encouraged 
to start into growth at once. Ah ! but how are we to grow them on ? 
exclaim many who cannot think. If you have a frame, use it; if not, 
select a sheltered corner of your garden, run up a board or two, or some 
matting and stakes, about 18 inches high; make a dry bottom of ashes, 
of which there are enough and to spare in the north; repot your 
plants and place them there for shelter, covering only in case of frost, 
but giving all the air you can at other times. Do this, and you will 
make fine plants and save time ; but do not plant so soon. 
Rules, simple as these, apply to plant-growing generally. Those 
men who have become eminent as our best cultivators are men of 
