112 VILLA GARDENING PART i 



rest, and they are specially fond of a nice soft bed of hay, and, 

 knowing this weakness, the Dahha grower makes up a bed of hay 

 and places it in a flower-pot, elevating the pot on the top of the 

 stake ; the pot is inverted on the stake, with the wasp of hay inside. 

 Large pots are not needed — 5-inch pots will do. After feeding, the 

 earwig ascends to his bed for repose, and while in this condition 

 he is easily shaken out of the hay into a vessel of hot water and 

 destroyed. 



Soil. — Though the Dahlia as a merely decorative plant is not 

 particular as to soil, yet to obtain show flowers such as are seen 

 on the exhibition tables they must have a good deal of attention. 

 In the first place the land must be deep and rich, and if it is not 

 so, or is lacking in any particular, stations should be taken out for 

 each plant, and a barrowload of old turf and manm-e in about 

 equal proportions placed in the hole, in the centre of which the 

 plant should be placed. It is, of course, possible to overfeed, and 

 then the flowers lose that refinement of form and appearance which 

 a well-grown flower should always possess. But the miscliief which 

 leads to coarseness of outline and roughness of petal is generally 

 produced by the too free use of strong liquids rather than anything 

 in which the plant may have been planted. The bed or quarter 

 intended for Dahlias should be trenched up roughly in winter and 

 left exposed to the w^eather, then in April mark out and prepare 

 the holes ready to receive the plants about the third week in May. 



The projKiffatirm of Dahlias is a very simple business. In 

 February or March the roots are taken from their winter quarters 

 and placed in a gentle hotbed, or in some house where a moderate 

 temperature is kept up. As soon as the young shoots are 3 inches 

 long they may be taken off" and rooted in small pots. Where only 

 a limited number of plants are required, the young shoots may be 

 cut with a little bit of the old tuber attached ; but w' here it is 

 necessary to make as many plants as possible, take the cutting off" 

 just above the bottom pair of leaves, as from their axils two young 

 shoots wiU spring, which in time may also be taken off and rooted. 

 The little pots, when the cuttings are inserted, should be plunged 

 in the hotbed tiU rooted. Afterwards, the usual treatment given 

 to ordinary bedding plants will suffice for Dahlias. 



Summer Management. — When the planting season arrives drive 

 the stakes firmly into the ground, and plant a Dahlia at the foot 

 of each stake, and then as gi'owth progresses all one has to do is 

 to attach a tie loosely to it. This must be done loosely, as the stem 

 swells so rapidly that it may be cut by the tie if room is not left 

 for growth. Viewed as ornamental plants only, the Dahlia has 

 a graceful habit without much pruning, and with one stake to 



