THE FLORIST. 
321 
it is required that the Pelargonium shall be a bush of beauty, and 
the plant that brings false or deformed flowers must therefore be 
rejected for the purposes of exhibition. The window gardener also 
requires constancy, and this merit keeps many an old sort from 
being rejected by him, especially as they are in many instances 
more hardy in constitution, and consequently more fitted for his 
purpose. 
In conclusion, let us draw attention to the indifference of seed¬ 
ling raisers and amateurs to the promotion of better exhibitions. 
The Dahlia, Pansy, &c. can each have its exhibition funds, and 
their raisers can hold meetings for their special exhibition, but Seed¬ 
ling Pelargonium raisers remain satisfied with what such socie¬ 
ties as the Botanical and South London offer. Why not raise a 
sum, and have a meeting at a suitable place in the country, such as 
Exeter ? Railway communication makes such a distance very easy. 
This would also have a beneficial effect in shewing what points are 
attained, and prevent many flowers having seedling prizes awarded 
them of which they are unworthy. We are quite ready to go into 
Devonshire next June, and also ready to subscribe five pounds to¬ 
wards a collection of twenty, if such a sum can be raised to reward 
the most successful exhibitor. We have no doubt but that the 
society which holds its meetings in Exeter would receive our pro¬ 
ductions, and give us a place for their suitable exhibition. The 
exhibitors themselves, if amounting to half-a-dozen, would make 
the best judges ; for however wedded a man may be to his own 
productions, he is not likely to find five others in the same mind, 
and the ballot-box could be brought into use very satisfactorily. 
The woodcuts at page 303 are from life : e and f, as lower petals, 
should have been placed the reversed way. 
Edward Beck. 
HINTS TO AMATEUR DAHLIA GROWERS. 
Now that it is fresh on my memory, I wish to say a few words in 
reference to thinning and disbudding Dahlias grown for exhibition. 
The general remark made by those who visited our Dahlias 
during the past season was : “ What a large number of blooms you 
have ; do you always have so many ?” Observations of this kind led 
me to suspect that thinning and disbudding had been carried too 
far; and, on visiting a few private gardens, I found this to be the 
case. For, in some instances, so very few buds had been left, that 
when a part of those came ill-shapen, or imperfect in the centre, 
there was but little choice of blooms when the show-day arrived. 
This system is entirely erroneous, as so much cutting is injurious 
to the health and vigour of the plant, and at best causes large blooms 
for a limited time only, without regard to succession; and often has 
the effect of producing large flowers at the expense of quality. Even 
