ON THE CULTURE OF THE DAHLIA. 3 



izig care to leave as much of the woody fibres at the joint as pos- 

 sible, otherwise the part is apt to rot off, and insert them 

 around the space between the pots, then place them again in the 

 hotbed. You may keep a little water in the inner pot, which is 

 very useful and requisite, for the pot being in a moderate de- 

 gree porous, it distributes a degree of moisture to the cuttings, 

 which is so very essential to their striking, and the water being 

 of the same temperature as the bed, it may occasionally be used 

 in watering them, and thereby prevent those fatal consequences 

 which are apt to destroy cuttings when watered with cold water ; 

 care must be taken not to give the cuttings too much water, 

 as it is apt to drive the plants into leaf and height, and conse- 

 quently to retard and even diminish the flowering. If water, 

 is given let it be to the roots only, when the sun is shining upon 

 the plants, at other times it may be given over the leaves. 



I make it a rule not to plant out Dahlias in the open ground 

 before the end of May, or early in June, so as to escape injury 

 from frost. By this period the cuttings are generally well rooted. 

 The soil to grow them in sucessfully ought to be a sandy loam. 

 If the natural soil of the situation is not of this kind, a compost 

 should be prepared, I recommend the following. Take about 

 one -fourth well rotted dung, one half light sandy loam, and the 

 remaining one-fourth, peat or bog-earth with a small quantity of 

 leaf mould and road grit added. These ingredients must be 

 well blended together and dug in the soil, for some time previ- 

 ous to your planting them in it. After your soil is prepared, 

 the holes should be made ready to receive the plants, which 

 should be about three feet from each other. In separating 

 the plants, turn the pots upside down, and give it a gentle tap on 

 he ed^e of your frame, or on any other convenient place, so as 

 to loosen them. Care must be that the fibrous roots are not 

 injured by separating. The^i place them singly in the pre- 

 pared holes, pressing the earth gently to them, and draw 

 a small circle around each, so that when you have finished 

 planting and begin to water, the water must be allowed to 

 settle moderately around them. Having your stakes ready va- 

 rying in length according to the height of the plants, allow- 

 ing two feet for insertion in the ground, place them about 

 two inches from the stem of the young plant, if this is not 

 attended to now, it will hereafter be somewhat difficult, owing 



