May.'] ARRANGEMENT. 103 



incorporate with the sand well decomposed manure ; and 

 when the plants are planted, a stick in proportion to the 

 plant should be put with it, and at least eighteen inches in 

 the ground, and not less than two inches in diameter, to 

 which they must be carefully tied as they grow, never 

 allowing more than one stem to each plant ; and the side 

 branches should be cut off from one to three feet from the 

 ground, according to the height of the plant. Oakley's 

 Surprise, the most favourite crimson Dahlia, tipped with 

 white, comes invariably true to its character in sandy soil, 

 whereas, in rich heavy soil, it is frequently only crimson. 

 The worst of all soils for the Dahlia, is a rich loam reten- 

 tive of moisture ; in such they grow to wood and foliage, 

 producing few and very imperfect flowers. 



The best disposition or arrangement in planting the 

 Dahlia, I think, is in groups; each group should be com- 

 posed of a different section of colour : this affords a close 

 comparison, and gives greater diversity of landscape, than 

 combining the colours; the tallest growing sorts should be 

 carefully planted in the centre or at the back of each group. 

 The roots should be planted from three to four feet from 

 each other every way. But where they are planted in 

 rows along walks or avenues, two or three feet will be a 

 sufficient distance from plant to plant. Individual plants 

 look extremely well if they are of a dwarf habit. To have 

 a continued succession of bloom, there should be two plant- 

 ings; the first about the fifteenth of the month, and the 

 latest about the end of June ; it is the June planting that 

 generally produces the finest flowers ; this fact (though 

 lately discovered) is now well understood by some cultiva- 

 tors, and is easily accounted for. When plants are forced 

 and planted early, they are in a flowering state much 

 earlier, to be sure, but they are overtaken with, perhaps, a 

 hot, dry summer, which "blights" the buds, and are more 

 subject to the disease called " curl ;" the young leaves, as 

 they expand, are perforated with numerous holes ; the 

 margins become brownish, as if burnt ; they then become 

 curled, placid, and the whole plant unhealthy and dwarfish. 

 The principal stem ceases to grow, and numerous suckers 

 and stems arise from below, forming a dense bush. The 

 flowers of such plant, as might be expected, are small and 

 irregular ; and however excellent the variety may be, they 



