D AH 



189 



D A H 



Silvio, Bubras, cherry red tipped 

 with white. 



Surprise, Oakley, purple, distinctly 

 tipped with white. 



Village Maid, purple, tipped with 

 white. 



Viscount Ressigueur, Du6?"as, purple 

 tipped with white, large, full, superb 

 flower. 



"The dahlia is very variable, sporting 



roots dying during the winter season." 

 — Gard. Chi'on. 



Propagation by Division. — " A good 

 criterion for planting this root," says 

 a writer in the Gard. Mag., " is about 

 the time of planting early potatoes for 

 a first crop, but no sooner. They grow 

 well in a rich light soil of almost any 

 kind. In dividing the root, it is ad- 

 visable to leave at least two eyes to 



from its true colours, but as often re- each plant, cutting through the neck or 

 turning to them. Knowing this, let the 

 following facts, with regard to new 

 kinds of dahlias, be borne in mind be- 

 fore condemning them the second 



year : — 



crown. Ihe spring is the most pre- 

 ferable time for dividing them, al- 

 though some do it on taking them up 

 in the autumn. 



' Those who possess a hot-house 



1. That the seedling plant is much , should put each plant into a pot of six 

 debilitated by propagation ; and there- ' or eight inches in diameter, with some 

 fore the flowers are rarely as good the j good rich mould, so as the crown may 

 second season as they are the first and just appear at the top of the pot ; then 

 subsequent to the second. [ place them in the green-house, where 



"2. That the best flowers are ob- they will soon make good plants : and 

 tained from those plants struck from when all danger from frost is over, they 

 the first cuttings produced by the mo- may be turned out into holes prepared 

 ther-plant, notwithstanding that they for them. In this manner, after being 

 are seldom as strong as the cuttings so long confined, they will grow most 

 that are afterwards produced. ! luxuriantly. 



" 3. The exciting the roots by means " A common cucumber-frame may 

 of a strong heat early in the spring, and be successfully used in this way." — 

 striking the young plants in a strong Gard. Mag. 



dung-bed, tend to weaken the plants By Grafting. — This is performed in 

 so treated to such a degree that they the months of August, September, and 

 frequently require two or three seasons October; and it is an excellent practice 

 to recover and regain their original cha- to avoid the chance of losing a seed- 



racter. Thus it is found that good 

 flowers are obtained with the least trou- 

 ble from those plants kept in pots the 

 first season after striking, (termed by 

 the trade pot-roots,) planted out the 

 following season, and allowed to start 

 of their own accord. 



" 4. That in wet seasons manure is 

 frequently very injurious from its caus- 

 ing the plant to grow too luxuriantly, 

 and thus to produce but tew flowers ; 

 while in very dry seasons it is equally 

 injurious. Much more depends on a 

 change of soil than on its composition 

 and quality. 



" 5. That water is a point which can- 

 not be too much attended to. A great 

 difference exists between hard and soft 

 water, but still more depends on the 

 manner in which it is applied ; for one 

 or two good waterings are much better 

 than a small quantity given three or 

 four times a week. 



" 6. That taking up the roots imme- 

 diately after a frost has destroyed the 

 top, is the principal cause of so many 



"ng: 



or new or scarce varieties. 

 Fig. 33. 



