Much 9, 1876. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOBTICULTDEB AND COTTAGE QAEDENEK. 



183 



WEEKLY CALENDAR. 



MARCH J>— 15, 1876. 



Rcynl Society at 8.30 p.m. 

 Royal Institution at 8 p.m. 

 Royal Botanic Society at 8 45 p.m. 

 2 SUNDAY IN Lent. 

 Ivoynl tieographical Society at 8.80 P M. 

 Royal Medical and Chircrgical Society at 8.30 p.m. 

 Royal Hortic ultural Society— Spring Show, and Fruit 

 [ Floral Committeee. 



Son 



Sets. 



Moon 

 Kiaee. 



Moon Moon's 

 Sets. Age. 



Clook 



( before 



Sun. 



6 21 



6 34 



6 44 



6 55 



7 7 

 7 21 

 7 83 



Days. 

 13 



• 

 15 

 16 

 17 

 18 

 19 



10 85 

 10 19 

 10 3 



9 18 

 8 66 



Day 



ot 



Year. 



09 

 70 

 71 

 72 

 73 

 74 

 75 



Ftom obserrations taken neai; London during lort;-tbreo ycats, the average day temperature of the week ia 50.0- 

 32.7°. 



and itj night tomperatare 



THE DAHLIA AND ITS CULTURE. 



i S the season has now come round again when 

 DahUa-growers will be tiu'ning their atten- 

 tion to the propagation, &a., of that in- 

 valuable florist's flower, a few words might 

 not be out of place in connection with the 

 cultivation of the plant which is certainly the 

 queen of the autumn. The Dahlia holds a 

 foremost place in public estimation, as may 

 be witnessed at the autumn shows, where 

 the Dahlia stands invariably come in for a 

 large share of attention and admiration ; and looking at 

 the DahHa from every point of view, whether on the 

 exhibition table, in lines with other subjects, as centres 

 for large beds on grass, in mixed or shrubbery borders, or 

 in whatever position it may be placed, its adaptability for 

 such purposes is perfect, and tJie plants when laden with 

 their symmetrical-formed flowers of almost every shade 

 of colour are always effective. 



The roots ought now to be brought out of their winter 

 quarters, and some considerable caution is necessary on 

 their first introduction into heat, more especially if in- 

 tended to be started in dung beds, than which there is no 

 better place if the heat is not too violent ; if so, and full 

 of rank steam, the chances are that many i-oots will turn 

 soft and decay instead of giving a regular supply of cut- 

 tings. If the heat of the bed has declined to 80" or 85" 

 then spread on the sm-face a slight covering of leaf mould 

 and sand, or any other light material on which to place 

 the roots together, and properly named. When all are 

 placed sprinkle a httle of the same material among them, 

 and admit air moderately on every favourable occasion, so 

 that the frame may be kept sweet and dry, when shoots 

 will be sent up in a short time in abundance. 



When of 3 inches in length they should be detached 

 from the parent root with a sharp knife, making a clean 

 cut, and be inserted singly in thumb-pots in soU composed 

 of loam, leaf mould, and sand. Very much of the success 

 will depend on the expedition with which the opei-ation 

 is performed, for if the cuttings are allowed once to flag 

 very many of them will rise no more. Water with tepid 

 water, and immediately place in smart bottom heat, when 

 roots will soon be formed. When well rooted the plants 

 should be shifted into rich loamy soD in 4-inch pots well 

 drained. Nothing is more injurious than allowing the 

 plants to remain in the cutting pots until they are potbound. 

 If convenient after this shift give them a slight bottom 

 heat till they are again established, when they should be 

 at once placed in cold frames with plenty of air admitted 

 on all favourable occasions. The object should be now 

 to secure a firm stubby growth, but a strict watch must 

 be kept that frost never reaches them. Towards the end 

 of May the lights must be kept off the plants on all favour- 

 able opportunities, so that they may be hardened-off ready 

 for planting the first week of June, which is as early as 

 is consistent with safety in most parts of this country. 



Some practise propagation merely by dividing the old 

 roots into as many pieces as there are portions having 

 ?Jo. 780.-VOL, XXX Nlw S bies 



eyes, and then potting them in the usual way. I prefer, 

 however, the plants struck as above, believing they give 

 more perfect flowers. Others, again, propagate during 

 summer, taking the side branches and striking them in 

 brisk heat the same as in spring, keeping them in small 

 pots during winter and starting in the usual way in spring, 

 allowing only one shoot to each plant. This is a very safe 

 plan for those who do not succeed well in wintering the 

 old roots. 



The preparation of the boU in which the plants are to 

 grow must have particular attention if first-class flowers 

 are expected, and as the Dahlia delights in rich feeding 

 such must be borne in mind when the ground is being 

 prepared. The ground should be trenched in autumn and 

 thrown into ridges, and those who can command decayed 

 turves with plenty of fibre, accompanied with a liberal 

 supply of rich manure, are in possession of the materials 

 that wUl grow Dahhas to perfection. In April the space 

 for them should be forked over and well broken up again 

 before planting. If for exhibition they are best grown in 

 a square by themselves, and not less than 4 feet apart each 

 way, and in straight lines, the stakes to be placed in 

 position first, and duo care taken that the roots are not 

 injured in planting, and that the plants be firmly but not 

 tightly tied to their stakes. When planted each to have a 

 good soaking of water, to be repeated twice a-week if the 

 weather proves dry. Eegular syringings on the evenings 

 of hot days will be of great advantage to them. I occa- 

 sionally use a little soft soap with the water to keep them 

 free from insects. A sharp watch must be kept that thrips 

 does not gain a footing among them, which would utterly 

 destroy the chance of obtaining good blooms. 



As soon as the plants are advanced in growth and hot 

 weather sets in I invariably give a heavy surface-dressing 

 of cow manure 3 or 4 inches thick, and line out the alleys 

 between the plants and cover the dung with the soU from 

 the alleys. The leading stem having been kept regu- 

 larly fastened to the stake, now is the time to add the 

 shoulder stakes, as they are termed in some parts of the 

 country. To each plant four stout stakes are put at con- 

 venient distances to support the side shoots to be selected 

 for that purpose, and all others are taken away ; and in 

 future all lateral shoots to be thinned-out as well as the 

 flowers, some varieties requiring severer thinning than 

 others, some sorts throwing very rough flowers if over- 

 thinned, while for others thinning is necessary to obtain 

 the flowers of the requh-ed size. Due care will also be 

 necessary now to afford the plants abundance of moisture 

 in dry weather, and a good soaking occasionally of liquid 

 manure will be beneficial. To those who may not have 

 access to the drainings from the dunghiU I do not know 

 of a better or easier-made liquid for them than guano and 

 soot, which the foliage will bear witness to after the ap- 

 plication by the dark hue it will assume. 



If for exhibition some means must be used to shade 

 the flowers ; and I may here say that I beheve many, 

 who have not had much experience, over-shade, which 

 makes the colours washy, and certainly the flowers do 

 not carry so well if they have been subjected to too long 



No. 1432.— Vol. LV., Old Sebieb. 



