THE FLORIST. 
253 
fresh compost when you find the roots bare. If any of the fine 
plants selected for next spring’s exhibitions throw up their trusses 
of bloom, they must not be allowed to flower ; the safest way to 
prevent this is, to carefully rub the buds off the tops of the stems. 
This plan is safer than breaking the stem; for by the latter mode 
rapid decomposition often follows the wound, endangering the 
loss of the plant. The foliage is also liable to die off in a soft 
pulpy state when this is the case ; if the leaf is not ripe enough 
to remove, cut out the affected part, and never suffer this sort of 
decay to reach the stem. About this time several sorts of cater¬ 
pillars attack Auriculas, and sadly disfigure the foliage ; search 
for, and destroy them, at every opportunity. J. T. Neville. 
Carnations and Picotees. —This is the least exciting month through¬ 
out the year with these flowers. The soil for potting the layers 
in should be prepared, and kept tolerably dry; the potting may 
be commenced towards the end of the month, placing a pair of 
plants in large 60-sized pots, or one plant in a middle-sized 60. 
We have a decided objection to very early potting. We remember 
seeing, in 1846, a large collection potted up for wintering about 
the 20th of August, and being anxious to know how they suc¬ 
ceeded through the winter, we made inquiry of the owner of this 
collection in the following spring, as to how they had wintered. 
The answer was, that they had “ nearly all gone off.” Never¬ 
theless, pot in time, in order that the roots may feel the pot before 
winter commences. The compost for spring potting should also 
be prepared. C. Turner. 
Dahlias. —Protecting the blooms will be the principal occupation of 
the Dahlia grower this month, unless he has a late piece, which 
will require tying, thinning, and disbudding, as directed in the last 
Number of The Florist. If the shades or other contrivances used 
for protecting the blooms do not admit of plenty of air, they 
should be removed a short time during morning and evening. 
Many fine blooms are rendered useless by placing them under 
the shade in too young a state, by making them so tender that 
they will not stand the journey to the exhibition ; we prefer 
them, generally, one-third grown before shading; but, as soon as 
the petals elevate themselves above the disc, secure the heads in 
such a manner that they cannot sustain injury from other parts 
of the plant by friction. Seed should be secured as soon and 
as often as it can be found ripe. The best Dahlia show of the 
season, both for seedlings and named varieties, will take place on 
the 13th September, in the Surrey Zoological Gardens, under 
the auspices of the Royal South London Floricultural Society. 
C. Turner. 
Epacrises.— These need not be disturbed, although in some measure 
suffering from continued heavy rains; a few dry days, which we hope 
to be blessed with by-and-by, will put them all to rights. Keep the 
pots free from weeds as well as the surrounding ground ; nothing 
looks more slovenly than to see them peeping their heads up be¬ 
tween the flower-pots. Should this month prove genial, and 
