226 CULTIVATION OF THE DAHLIA. 



Description of writer upon them. We there learn, that they are peron- 

 e P an ' nials, losing their stems at the approach of winter, which do 

 not push forth again till late in spring; that their roots con- 

 sist of fleshy tubers disposed like those of the asphodel, 

 though less numerous; that on their arrival they were 

 planted in large pots of substantial earth, and protected 

 from frost under a frame ; that the stems grew little till the 

 great heats of summer commenced, wheu they lengthened 

 rapidly, and flowered in the end of autumn. Monsieur 

 Thouin then describes the first, his dahlia rose, as attaining 

 seven feet in height; leaves opposite, composed of from 5 

 to 9 leaflets; flowers about the size of a China aster ; ligu- 

 lated florets commonly 8 in number, pale red inclining to 

 flesh colour; of which all the earlier flowers ripened seeds. 

 Tug second, his dahlia ponceau, was only four feet high ; 

 stem slender, covered with a tine meal ; leaves doubly pin- 

 nated, and pale green ; flowers smaller than in the two other 

 species; ligulated florets from 8 to 9, red orange colour ; 

 this flowered later, and did not ripen seeds. The third, 

 dahlia pourpre, he erroneously supposes to be Cava ni lies' 

 dahlia pinnata, and thinks it greatly superior in beauty to 

 both the others ; the roots of this he observes are covered 

 with a violet coloured cuticle ; stems about five feet high; 

 leaves often produced in threes ; flowers semidouble; ligu- 

 lated florets of a rich violet purple, approaching that of the 

 pansy, or still more like the fruit of the prune de Monsieur, 

 which on their inner surface reflect the light variously (eha- 

 toyante) like a shot silk ; it flowered the latest, and only 

 ripened yery few seeds. 

 His mode of After paying some handsome compliments to Cavanilles 

 cultivation. for sending, and to Dr. Thibaud for bringing the roots from 

 Madrid, this candid and judicious gardener proceeds to 

 state what, he conceives, will be the properest mode of 

 treating these plants. He remarks, that, being newly ar- 

 rived, with all the original habits contracted in their native 

 • climate, it will only be after a lapse of years, that their cul- 

 ture can be thoroughly understood ; and that if he antici- 

 pates any directions on this head, it is rather to excite the 

 attention of others to the subject, than lay dpwn tixtd and 

 positive rules for their conduct, From tl^ magnitude of 



the 



