400 THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION.— September 2,1850. 
to prevent tlio equinoctial winds from breaking tins 
largo side-shoots off from the main sterna Ir the 
plants have been grown aud properly managed, they 
will have many branches, and should have a stake to 
each large branch. Generally speaking, there should 
be one strong stake in the centre, and four others at 
about eighteen inches from the central one. If an 
amateur was to visit any of the gardens of the great 
growers, such as Mr. Turner, of Slough ; or Mr. Bragg, 
of the same place; Mr. Keyne, of Salisbury; Mr. 
Edwards, of York; or Mr. Harrison, of Darliugton; 
and many others, he would find all their Dahlias tied 
out in that manner. There must be no neglect in 
attending to this point, for strong winds may come when 
least expected, and theu the untied branches, heavy 
with large foliage and flowers, would certainly be 
broken oft’ and destroyed. 
Another point to be attended to now is the protection of 
the flowers from wind, rain, aud insects. Whoever wishes 
for, or is ambitious of obtaining prizes, must adopt some 
of the various methods in use to protect his flowers, and 
preserve their rich or delicate colours in perfection for 
the exhibition table. A wire frame in the cup form, 
and covered with oiled paper or canvass, is an excellent 
protector. It may be suspended over the flower by 
being fixed to a stake. Common garden-pots fixed to a 
stake form a good shelter; but the best is a square box, 
with one side glass to open, and a slit at the bottom to 
allow the stem of the flower to slide into it, and thus 
bring the flower to the centre of the box. It has then 
light aud air, aud is securely protected. 
Insects that trouble the Dahlia are the slug, the earwig, 
and the tbrips. The first may be kept under by watering 
with lime-water, or place a circle of lime round each stem, 
renewing it occasionally to keep it pungent. Sometimes 
they creep up the stem, and feed on the loaves and 
flowers. Such should be diligently sought for morning 
aud evening, and gathered up aud destroyed. The 
earwig is a more difficult insect to capture and destroy. 
It feeds in the night. Many a fine flower I have had 
completely spoiled by this pest. It just nibbles off the 
ends of the petals, rendering that bloom unfit for 
exhibition. Various methods are resorted to to catch 
them. I have frequently gone out after dark with a 
lantern and a vessel of hot water, and caught them in 
the very act of feeding on the petals. This is a good 
method where they abound. It is a nocturnal thief, 
prowling about when h on ester insects have crept into 
their hiding-places. As soon as daylight appears it 
slinks away out of sight into some dry cranny. This 
propensity is taken advantage of. Small garden-pots 
half filled with dry moss or hay, are placed upside down 
on the tops of the stakes, or dry, hollow Beau stalks are 
placed among the branches. These traps should be 
examined every morning, and the earwigs (if any are 
found) shook into a pail of hot water, and thus got rid 
of. Mr. Edwards, of Birmingham, has invented a very 
excellent Earwig-trap, which is good for that purpose, 
as I have seen proved, and can, therefore, recommend it 
to our readers. It has been advertised in The Cottage 
Gardener, which advertisement, no doubt, our Dahlia¬ 
growing friends have seen. The thrips, when it prevails 
to a great extent, which it does in long-continued dry 
weather, is more destructive to Dahlia blooms than any 
other insect. The leaves turn yellow from its sucking 
out the juices, and the blooms are rendered spotted and 
almost colourless. White Dahlias look as if they had 
been dusted over with black pepper, and thus rendered 
utterly unfit for competition. The worst of it is there 
is no artificial effectual remedy or preventive against 
their ravages. Happily, this year, there has been such 
a succession of heavy showers of rain that they have 
not as yet made their appearance that I have heard of. 
As wet seems to be their bane, they, perhaps, may be 
kept under by frequent and severe syringings with tepid 
water. 
I was, the other day, in the garden of Mr. John 
Turner, of Neepsend, near Sheffield (a name familiar 
to our readers from his having invented a new budding 
kuife), aud he pointed out to me a new pest of the 
insect tribe that had bored holes in the foliage of his 
Dahlias and Hollyhocks, attacking principally the 
youngest leaves, almost destroying them, and also the 
young flower-buds. It is a jumping insect, like a 
small grasshopper, and is of a greenish-white colour, j 
Mr. Turner destroys it by giving the whole plant a 
smart stroke; the insects jump down to the ground, and j 
are then helpless and easily crushed with the foot. 1 ! 
do trust this insect is confined to that garden, for I have 
not observed it in any other. 
Cuttings.- —Many of our amateur friends may not be 
aware that cuttings of Dahlias may yet be successfully 
struck. Many years ago, I struck cuttings as late as ( 
the end of September, and kept them well through the 
winter. Whoever has purchased the 10s. Od. varieties 
w'ould act prudently to put in cuttings of each as soon 
as possible. If there is a gentle hotbed at work, they 
will strike sooner than in a cold frame. It is best to 
put each cutting in a thumb-pot, and as soon as it has 
pushed roots to remove it into the open air, plunging 
the pots in coal-ashes. Here they may remain till frost 
cuts down the tops; theu put them in a greenhouse or 
cold pit well secured from frost. By thus increasing 
the number of plants of such new expensive sorts, the 
chances of keeping each variety alive are multiplied. I 
have known many a new variety lost when the ground 
root only has been depended on for the succeeding year’s 
supply of plants. 
Geraniums —The old plants will now be making 
fresh shoots, and require then to be turned out of then- 
pots, the balls reduced, and the plants put into as small 
pots as the roots can be got into; then place them in a cold 
frame, shading from sun, giving very moderate supplies 
of water, the grand object being not to obtain gross 
growth, but short, dense shoots, well clothed with green, 
healthy foliage. 
Cuttings may yet be put in; but it is more preferable 
to have them well rooted by this time, aud even potted off. 
Treat the cuttings the same way as described for the I 
established plants, excepting the reducing of the balls, I 
which should be kept entire. As soon as they are 
fairly established give plenty of air, and nip off the 
tops, to cause them to break out many shoots, to form 
nice dwarf, bushy plants. Remove them into the 
greenhouse as soon as frosts begin to appear, and keep 
them well supplied with water till the end of October. 
After that water more sparingly. T. Appleby. 
{To be continued.) 
THE DAY OE GREAT THINGS. 
By the Authoress of “ My Flowers." 
I must throw myself upon the indulgence of my readers. 
I have hunted from beginning to end of The Cottage 
Gardener, and I cannot alight upon the sketch I wish to . 
find. They must “ be to my faults a little blind,” as they 
ever have been, and suffer me to call the subject of,. this 
paper by a different name from the one I formerly bestowed 
upon him, for I cannot remember what that name was. I 
will now draw the portrait of Jonathan Wild. 
Among those who frequented the poor widow’s soup- 
kitchen, the most regular, thankful, correct in payment, and 
quiet in behaviour, was this young man. 
He bad met with a dreadful accident as a boy, in conse¬ 
quence of an act of wilful disobedience; liis arm was taken 
at once out of the socket, aud for a very long time he was 
in a bad state of health ; but at length he recovered, and 
was so great an object of interest to every one, that, had he 
