HYBRIDIZING. 255 



to be treated in a similar way for the most part ; but we have 

 had occasion to propagate the dahlia rapidly, and on receiving 

 the plants from the nursery, "we found three pairs of lea^TS and 

 the top to spare above the two lower ones, and we determined 

 on trying the eye system. The leaves of the dahlia being op- 

 posite each other, we began by cutting off the top as close ito 

 the joint as possible, and prepared that for striking, by taking 

 off the two bottom leaves ; we then took off the next cutting 

 close at the under part of the joint and split it into two, each 

 having a leaf with its bud or eye at the base and the split 

 part of the stem. We treated the next two pairs of leaves the 

 same, and left the stump of the dahlia with only two leaves. 

 "We then prepared a pot as for cuttings, with soil u.]) to half 

 an inch and sand the rest ; and we put the eyes in close to 

 the pot, just reaching down to the soil, and with the leaf in- 

 wards, and the split stem upright close to the side. These 

 were put into a fresh hot-bed with other dahlias, and, like 

 them, kept warm and moist. Every eye grew well, the top 

 ones — that is, the two that were smallest — being the weakest ; 

 but they were rooted and potted off in four weeks ; and we 

 have adopted this plan ever since when we had any great 

 desire to propagate and make the most of a plant. We have 

 raised the scarlet geranium, the fuchsia, and many other 

 plants in a similar way from single eyes with a little bit of 

 the last year's wood ; but we thought more of the dahlia than 

 anything else, because it is very juicy, and was therefore very 

 likely to fog off ; this, however, it will not do if the cutting 

 close up to the joint be attended to, and the heat well kept 

 up — one of the most essential things in the striking of the 

 dahlia, and in all other subjects where the cuttings are more 

 than usually juicy and green. The EuiDhorbia jacquiniflora 

 will come from eyes, which sometimes make better plants 

 than those from cuttings. The datura or Brugmansia arborea 

 will from an eye grow to a six-feet plant in a single season, 

 and flower profusely. B. lutea and B. sanguinea will do well, 

 but not grow half the height the first year, 



UYBBIDIZING. 



Nobody seems astonished at the immense improvement that 

 has been made in the breed of cattle by the crossing of dif- 

 ferent races. Scarcely anything in its natural state is witliout 



