204 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



THE DAHLIA. 



Fig. 1816. Mr. John Wilson among his 

 Dahlias, Napanee. 



Mr. John Wilson read an interesting paper 

 before the Napanee society on this subject, 

 showing- how he had so successfully grown 

 this flower. Mrs. Judge Wilkinson, the 

 president, encloses a photo, showing Mr. 

 Wilson among his favorites, and the follow- 

 ing note : 



The best bloom of the above photo was 

 in September when one stalk, which grew 

 to six feet, produced at one time fifty- 

 three blossoms and buds ; another, the 

 Queen, grew seven and a half feet high 



and had blossoms five inches across. Mr. 

 Wilson attributes this great success to good 

 drainage, rich soil and plenty of water, and 

 the following is his method of growing : He 

 starts the roots as soon as possible after 

 middle of March, in earth in a warm place, 

 leaving from three to five bulbs attached ; 

 when the ground is warm and danger of 

 frost over he digs a trench eighteen inches 

 deep, fills up ten inches with coal ashes, 

 which prevents water accumulating about 

 the roots, then puts over eight inches of soil, 

 measures the trench off and puts in firm 

 stakes three feet apart ; he makes a hole with 

 a spade and puts in layers of well rotted 

 manure, earth and wood ashes, about three 

 handsful of the latter to a hole and they must 

 not come in contact with the bulbs, puts in 

 started bulbs so that the highest bulb will 

 be covered about an inch ; too deep planting, 

 the ground is too cold ; lets all shoots grow 

 until they are about five inches high, then 

 removes all but the best one and ties it to 

 the stake, when it will branch out like a 

 sunflower. The trench need not be made, 

 just the holes, but the drainage will not be 

 so perfect. 



Primula Obconica. — I think that if I 

 could have but one plant for the house it 

 would be Primula obconica. It seems to 

 have all the virtues, and I do not know of 

 an objection. It is neat in habit of growth, 

 the foliage is a rich dark green, and no in- 

 sect foes attack it, so far as my experience 

 goes. The flowers are .peculiarly dainty, a 

 little smaller than the Chinese primrose, 

 about the size of a Phlox blossom, with 

 notch in the centre of each petal. They are 

 borne crown-like on slender stems, a dozen 

 or more in a cluster, about four or five inches 



above the leaves. The color is an exquisite 

 pale lavender, changing to white, and the 

 flowers have a delicate perfume. I have 

 a plant which has been in blossom for 

 nearly a year, sometimes having a half dozen 

 flower stalks in bloom at once. It is valua- 

 ble for cutting, as the flowers last a long 

 time and the buds continue to open ; the 

 long stems make it capable of use for deco- 

 ration in many ways. It likes a rich soil 

 made light with sand, and good drainage. 

 Give it a moderate amount of water and not 

 too much sunshine. — Vick's Magazine. 



