Keeping these few remarks in view, the blooming season will have advanced but a short way before the young amateur will have observed the various characters described, and with a few additional hints on buds and disbudding, he will be enabled to manage the balance of the process to his satisfaction.

We will now suppose it the beginning of September, when our attention must be given to the buds. As they progress, look over them very often, and every one in the least degree imperfect in form and centre, remove. Buds, to be depended upon, may be known by their perfectly circular form, and in their centre a perfectly circular hole about the size of an ordinary pin-head; this, in general, is their character before showing color, and any departure from it, however slight, will warrant instant decapitation; any neglect in this particular must be avoided to prevent the least unnecessary waste of strength.

Others again present the hard, scaly centre, which for the most part are constant and to be depended on.

Additional pruning, more or less, now depends on the views of the cultivator, whether a rich garden display only is desired, when less pruning is required; or, if his object be exhibition or competition, then the severe system must be continued according to the necessity of the case as already described. Apply the same to disbudding. In the latter case, when the object is to exhibit or compete, a little calculation becomes necessary in order to have them in perfection on the day they are wanted. From the time the bud begins to show color, until fully developed, is about eight or ten days, more or less, according to the weather, which, seeing we can not control, it is well to guard against disappointment by selecting three buds in different stages, which gives us three strings to our bow; should the first be too advanced, we have others to fall back upon. Buds are generally in clusters of three, the centre .one being the earliest and largest, and when perfect always to be preferred. I now apply my invariable rule, which is, first to be sure of my bud, then to take off every thing near it, giving a liberal supply of water - brown stout and pure - alternately, morning and evening.

While growing for exhibition, it is also requisite to amputate every bloom that may have been allowed to develop, so soon as it has passed its best, and before it begins to perfect its seed, otherwise failure will certainly ensue; for as seed is allowed to mature, blooms deteriorate in a corresponding degree.

Expositions in this country are carried so far into autumn as to preclude the possibility of properly maturing seed, and at the same time compete successfully. It would be well, therefore, where seed is desired, to grow two plants of a kind, allowing those for seed to bloom a month earlier - from the first of August - giving them the same treatment as the others, until the beginning of September, when cut off every thing but the few blooms already developed, and the few buds bursting into bloom; never mind how much the plant may be disfigured; away with every thing else - abundance of seed may then be relied on. Take it for granted that where this slashing mode is not adopted, seed-pods may be numerous, but rather empty. As the petals decay, remove them, to secure the seed from injury in case of much rain Gather the pods as they ripen, with a few inches of stem to each by which to hang them in bunches of a few only together, that they may dry the more thoroughly, in a warm, airy room, when the seed may be rubbed out.

Much of it may be thin and apparently worth nothing, but look upon it as more valuable on that account, as it really is; more good sorts coming from such than from seed of a plumper character.

All that remains now to be done is to get them safely out of the ground and disposed of for the winter. After the foliage has been blackened by frost, choose the first sunny day to lift them; cut off the side-stems close to the centre one, of which leave about four or five inches, tying the name to it with a bit of copper wire; remove all the side sticks only, leaving the centre one to come out along with the root, because so closely are the tubers laying around it, that the action necessary to force it out would disrupt or otherwise seriously injure the root. The lifting is better performed by two men, opposite each other, and acting simultaneously. The broad-pronged tool is preferable to the spade for use, inasmuch as the tubers run less risk of being cut. Allow whatever of soil may adhere to the root to remain, there being no belter preservative. When lifted, turn upside down, to run off any water that may be in the stem. They may now be placed in an outhouse where they can have abundance of light and air, and allowed to dry sufficiently before being placed in their winter quarters along with the pot-roots. During winter, let them have change of air as often as weather will permit, looking them over occasionally and removing any portion of decayed bulb.

[The reader has now the views and practice of the most successful Dahlia grower within the circle of our acquaintance. If the directions are followed faithfully, the most gratifying success will be certain. - Ed].