100 OX THE CULTCKE OF THE DAHLIA. 



ARTICLE II.— On the Culture of the Dahlia. By Mr. 

 W. Denyer, Gardener to Lady Webster, Battle 

 Abbey, Sussex. 

 Much good information has already been given on the culture, 

 &c. of that splendid and ornamental genus, the Dahlia; and 1 

 think that all the growers of this beautiful plant will agree with 

 me, when I say, that it is become the chief ornament of the plea- 

 sure garden from July till October. My method of growing the 

 Dahlia differs in some degree from others, and if you deem it 

 worthy of a page in the Cabinet it is quite at your service. 



The time to begin to propagate must depend on what number 

 of plants are wanted from the stock of roots you have. When a 

 oreat many plants are wanted from any of the choice roots, and 

 you have but a root or two to work from, it is desirable to make a 

 hotbed about the second week in February, and put on the frame. 

 In a few days cover the bed with soil, about three inches deep ; 

 then place the roots on the soil close to each other, but not one 

 upon the other ; then cover all the tubers with some sandy soil, 

 and sprinkle them with water. When this is done cover the 

 whole with old pieces of mat, then put on the lights. If the bed 

 is very hot, give some air in the day, and a very little at night ; 

 but be sure to cover the frame at night with mats. Sprinkle the 

 roots with water about three times a week; when they begin 

 to make shoots, take the pieces of mat quite away from them. As 

 soon as the shoots are about three inches long, take them off; but 

 be very careful to leave an eye or two at the bottom of the shoot 

 remaining to the crown, in order to give a fresh supply of shoots. 

 Insert the cuttings into 80-sized pots, one in each, filled with a 

 mixture of one-third peat, one-third leaf-mould, and one-third 

 sand. Water them, and put them into a hotbed, and shade them 

 from the sun. Cover the frame at night with mats. Keep the 

 heat of the bed up where the old roots are, and keep working from 

 them as last as the shoots are ready. 



When the cuttings are well rooted, re-pot them into 60 or 

 48-sized pots, using a mixture of one-third loam, one-third 

 leaf-mould, and one-third of road scrapings. Put them back into 

 the hot-bed for a few days, then put them into a cold frame, or a 

 greenhouse ; afterwards they may be set out under hoops, and 



