174 On the Cultivation of the Dahlia. 



Dahlias, treated in this manner, will be found to make finer plants, 

 not growing so much to wood, flowerina; much earlier, having larger 

 flowers and a greater abundance ; and making finer roots for keeping 

 over another winter. As the heat declines in the propagating bed, 

 it must be kept up with linings. 



Mr. Putnam says, " when struck in February or March in a green- 

 house, they make as good plants," &c. This, in my opnion, is the 

 last place they ought to go to, previous to their being planted in the 

 open ground. Attempting to strike Dahlias in a green-house, (in 

 Mr. Russell's words,) " they would soon wilt down to rise no 

 more ;" it being as easy to have a hot-bed as a gieen-house ; and 

 in want of a hot-house to start them in, I would recommend a hot- 

 bed similar to that which I recommended for the cuttings ; I would 

 prefer potting them, to planting in the bed, as there is less danger of 

 burning the roots. When the Dahlias that were first put in from cut- 

 tings appear to be growing in the hot-bed, by turning them out of 

 the pots, they will be found to have filled them with roots ; they 

 should then be carried to the green-house on a cold frame, till such 

 time as the frost is over, and the weather favorable for planting out 

 in the garden. As an instance of this metliod, 1 propagated, in 

 the spring of 1834, from a collection of one hundred roots, with the 

 same number of varieties, upwards of two thousand flowering plants, 

 with scarcely a failure. 



The brilliancy of this flower is already too well known to need 

 any farther praise from me, other than that our flower borders in the 

 autumnal months, present a very meagre appearance without a large 

 number of this Royal Family reigning amongst them. Grafting 

 Dahlias is done more for the gratification of the curious, than for any 

 profits that may arise from the practice. I have flowered as many 

 as four varieties upon one root ; the lateral shoots of the plants re- 

 quire to be cut off, leaving none but the leaders, choosing those that 

 grow about the same height. I prefer leaving the roots as long in 

 the ground as possible, as they will ripen as well after the tops are 

 cut off as before ; cutting them off close above a joint, to prevent 

 rain from lodging in the stem. After the roots are taken up, place 

 them upon sparred shelves in a dry cellar, where there is no danger 

 of frost. 



The foregoing remarks, being the results of practical experience 

 for years, 1 can with confidence recommend them to any that may 

 have the convenience, and more especially to cultivators and propa- 

 gators. Should you deem them worthy of a place in your most 

 valuable Magazine, you are at liberty to insert them when you may 

 think proper. 



Yours, Peter Mackenzie. 



Philadelphia, April llth, 1835. 



