230 
THE FLORIST. 
exhibitions, and regretted not to have seen more of the new varie¬ 
ties in the collections. Sow seed, as you obtain it, in shallow 
pans, just covering it with light soil; taking care to shade it from 
the sun, and watering carefully, so as not to bring the seed to 
the surface. W. H. Holmes. 
Sudbury, Derbyshire. 
Carnations and Picotees. —Layering will be the principal operation 
in this month ; the piping should have been completed early in 
July. Care should be taken of any choice variety that is in a 
fair way of producing seed, by placing a small glass over the pot, 
and protecting it from earwigs. The thrips has been very destruc¬ 
tive this season in some localities, destroying two-thirds of the 
flowers, by eating the colour when in a young state, particularly 
Scarlet Bizarres. However, the season has produced a few fine 
varieties, and the prizes have been well contested at the principal 
shows, at which there have been some superior and beautiful 
stands exhibited. C. Turner. 
Chalvey. 
Cinerarias. —Sow seed for new varieties, if not already done; the 
old ones will not be tolerated much longer. This is an age of 
improvement. Flora has the schoolmaster by her side, and both 
point onward. Plants that were bloomed early will now be 
throwing up suckers; these should be carefully taken off, potted 
into small pots, put into a cold frame, and shaded until well 
established. Compost light and generous. 
Stoke Newington, July 14. A. Kendall, Florist. 
Dahlias. —Hitherto the weather has been as much in favour of this 
fine flower, as it was against it in 1847. The plants we have seen 
are vigorous and forward, many of them with fine bloom already; 
but these we deem too forward for the principal shows. Plants that 
have not been securely staked and tied, should not be delayed. 
The same with mulching and turning up the ground between the 
plants, and, at this advanced time for this operation, care should 
be taken not to injure the young fibrous roots. If a dry time 
occurs during August, abundance of water will be required at the 
root, and slight watering over the foliage with soft water after 
the sun has left them in the evening. The plants must now be 
gone over once a week, pruning out all superfluous shoots ; the 
young small branches proceeding from the bottom of the plant 
will be the principal to cut away; but here discretion must be 
exercised. Much will require to be cut away from such varieties 
as Nonpareil, Bermondsey Bee, Queen of Roses, &c. ; but use 
the knife sparingly with such flowers as Miss Vvse, The Hero, 
and Beeswing, flowers at all times large enough, when forcing 
would not only make them too large, but coarse as well. Disbud 
on the same principle. In our opinion, too much importance is 
given to size. We do not advocate small flowers : there is a 
medium, and that we prefer. Earwigs should be exter¬ 
minated if possible. This is our practice, instead of protect¬ 
ing the flowers from them; numbers can be often taken in 
