EEVIEWS AXD EXTRACTS. 231 



PART II. 



REVIEWS AND EXTRACTS. 



Floriculture ; comprising the General Management and Propaga- 

 tion of Store, Green-house, and Hard;/ Herbaceous Plants, 

 Trees, and Shrubs. By J. Maxtell, F.L.S. 2nd Edition 

 8vo. 52 pages; Price 7s. Gd. 



In V,il. I., page 34, we expressed our approval of the first edition of this 

 work; uikI are liud in the second considerable additions. The matter is 

 practical and useful, and much is compressed into tlie volume. We think, 

 boy/ever, that a cheaper edition should be published, in order to extend its 

 . ii. ulalion to -ull classes of readers. We extract the following on 



THE DAHLIA. 



The Dahlia is a native of Mexico, and was first introduced into this cum 

 try in the year 17«!», at which period it attracted but little notice, and the 

 Hnectaa was soon lost. Although this Mower was reintroduced by Lady 

 HOLLAND in 1894, it is only within the. last few years that the attention of 

 the florist has been directed to its cultivation and improvement*. It is now 

 admitted t i be the chief ornament of the flower-garden during the autumnal 



nths, and independently of the great variety and splendour of its (lowers, 



it is valuable to the Jurist as filling up a void at that season of tlie year in 

 m liK'h hut few other plants are in blossom. 



It has beep computed that not less than twenty thousand seedling Dahlias 

 are raised annually in this country. The facility with which they may be 

 fltwt thfl comparatively short period which intervenes between the time 

 of towing and that of (lowering — and the great success which has hitherto 

 attended this mode of propagation, will, no doubt, account for the extensive 

 cultivation of this highly esteemed flower. 



'1'he Dahlia is propagated by cuttings and by divisions of the crown, and 

 new and beautiful varieties are constantly 'raised from .seed. The seed is 

 Usually obtained from the finest double (lowers, but some successful propa- 

 gators prefer that procured from .semi-double varieties-, and we believe that 

 WOM of i>ur linesl Dahlias have been raised from semi-double seedlings. 

 I he seed should l>e collected early in tlie season, as soon as the blossoms 

 lone withered and the receptacles are .sullbielitly dry. 



II desirable, the seed may also be collected late in the season, and when 

 the receptacles are in a green state, in which case they should be divided 

 an I placed in a window or in any dry, warm situation; and if the seeds be 

 allowed lo remain in the calicos, they will retain their vitality belter than if 

 detached from the receptacles. 



The see I should be sown in large bans or pots, about the middle of Fe- 

 bruary, und placed In a hot bed frame. The young plants require to bo 



potted oil singly Into the smallest-sized pots, booh after the cotyledons are 

 above ground, and when the first pair of leaves me sufficiently developed. 

 1 1..-\ bould then be placed in the frame, nearly close to the glass, to pre- 

 vent ihi-iu from being drawn up weakly. Winn of sufficient size, they may 

 he re potted, placed in B cold frame, and protected at night, till the middle 



<o May, that being the period of planting them in the open air. 



Ih who propagate extensively, son the* seed in hoi bed frames the be 



ginning of March, and during the month of April, instead of potting, set 



out the young plant OU a light hit bed, Covering them at night with nail-. 



