432 
THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 
Dahlia—continued. 
. is proposed to plant in masses, the ground should be 
trenched, and manure added if the soil is naturally poor. 
It is not advisable to apply strong manure in spring, as 
over-luxuriance in foliage would thereby be encouraged at 
the expense of the production of flowers. А light, open 
Fic. 602. FLOWERING SHOOT OF РАНІЛА COCCINEA. 
position, free from the shade of trees, is best; but sur- 
ften an advantage 
winds. Mixed 
smaller beds, and 
these, or others, may be kept still lower by pegging 
down lanting out should not be attempted 
localities, as the 
ОР DAHLIA IMPERIALIS. * AES 
Dahlia—continued. 
respective positions fixed accordingly. From 3ft. to 6ft. 
apart is none too much space for strong, tall-growing 
varieties. Seedlings, or late-struck cuttings, will not 
require quite so much. Water well after planting, and 
apply a temporary stake to each, for а time. Dahlias are 
much benefited by frequent applications of water during 
summer, and by liquid manure after the buds are formed, 
If exhibition blossoms are required, the shoots and flower 
buds must be thinned out in the younger stages of growth; 
but otherwise it will be unnecessary to do so. Permanent 
` D. coccinea ( ). f.-heads with scarlet ray-florets and 
stakes of about 4ft. in height, must replace the others when 
the plants are established and growing. The most useful 
Dahlias to cultivate for cut flowers are the Single and 
Pompone ‘sections; and the most distinct and highly- 
coloured sorts should be selected. 
Storing. Dahlias may remain in the ground until the 
tops are destroyed by frost, when they should be cut 
down to within 6in. of the ground, and afterwards lifted. 
Fig, 604. FLOWER-HEAD AND LEAP ОР DAHLIA JUAREZ. 
Remove as much soil as possible with a pointed stick, 
attach the label of each to the stem, and store away 
a dry, cool, frost-proof place. Looking over / у 
to remove any part of the roots that may be damping, 8 - 
all that is required until starting again the following - 
spring. Young plants, raised either from seeds or out- 
tings, will supply large roots in the autumn of the same 
Insects. Earwigs are most destructive to Dahlias, 
by eating out the young points of the shoots, and 
wards the florets, before they are developed. Small flc 
pots, half-ülled with dry moss, and inverted on the 
the branches, are the best-known traps. 
be examined each morning, and any Earwigs 
destroyed. Ee 
A list of the species, and the most striking of what may 
be called the “botanical” varieties, is given below. — 
scarlet) 
disk ; outer involucral bracts five, 
Autumn. i. pinnate, scabrous. 
Georgina See 
Јона and 
| D. erocata (yellow). A synonym of D. v 
much injury. The heights | 
