58 ON THE DETERIORATION OF THE DAHLIA. 



pot the largest in forty-eights, and the small ones into sixty sized 

 pots, taking care that they are well drained with hroken potsherds. 

 After the whole are potted, I give only sufficient water to settle the 

 earth to the roots, and then place them in a warm part of the stove. 

 As the plants advance in growth, and till the pots with roots, 

 I again remove them out of sixties into forty -eights, and those out 

 of forty-eights into thirty-twos. Two or three times during the 

 summer months, I find it very beneficial to water them with liquid 

 manure. As soon as they begin to flower, I place them in the 

 greenhouse amongst the plants, where they bloom profusely, and 

 look very splendid. Nothing more is required but occasionally 

 supplying with water. When they are become dormant, they are 

 put by as before. 



W. MODNTFORD. 



Warleigh Gardens, near Bath, Dec. 8, 1833. 



ARTICLE VI.— On the Deterioration of the Dahlia. 

 By Vertumnus. 



Many important engagements have prevented me sending you 

 the few remarks I promised you, relative to the deterioration of 

 the Dahlia, by the extensive system of propagation usually pur- 

 sued. 



My idea is, that in order to have a good bloom, it is necessary 

 that plants raised from some of those shoots which first present 

 themselves should be selected for planting. So far as I have had 

 any opportunity of proving this idea, I am fully borne out in it. 

 Two years ago I observed a plant of the Countess of Liverpool, 

 in a first rate collection near London, of which nearly all the 

 blooms were single ; and, on inquiry, I found that the parties 

 having numerous orders, had sold all their early plants, and had 

 reserved the latter propagation for their own growth. 



This season I saw three plants of the Queen of Yellows without 

 a flower in the slightest degree multiple ; and I discovered that the 

 very same occurrence had taken place. 



Further, a flower called Wood's Triumphant, which had been 

 much admired two or three years ago, was rejected by many growers; 

 and in a conversation I had with Mr. Wood, the original raiser of 

 it, he told me he had himself rejected it, as it could not be relied on. 



