78 DOUBLE DAHLIA. 



separated into small pots, and keep them in a growing state 

 until about the middle of May, at which time they may be 

 turned out of the pots with the balls of earth entirt!, and 

 planted in the open borders, from three to four .feet from 

 each other* Let the ground be well pulverized, and enriched 

 with good old manure, before the plants are set out. If the 

 top soil be shallow, and the subsoil inferior, it would be bene 

 ficial to the plants to dig holes to the depth of from a foot 

 to eighteen inches, and then replenish the earth with good 

 rich compost, consisting of two thirds of fresh loam, and one 

 third of well-rotted manure. 



Many cultivators have found late planting to suit better 

 than early; and I myself have had more perfect flowers 

 from plants set out about the middle of June, than from those 

 planted in May : this is easily accounted for. In July and 

 August the weather is generally hot, which brings the most 

 forward plants into bud at an early season, and in the event 

 of a continuation of hot, dry weather, such buds fail to pro- 

 duce perfect flowers ; whereas those plants which are set 

 out late, keep growing through the hot weather, and produce 

 their buds just in time to receive all the benefit of the au- 

 tumnal rains. i?rom a consideration of these circumstances, 

 I think early in June the safest time to set out Dahlia plants ; 

 and if those persons who have no convenience to force their 

 roots, set them out in May, in ground prepared as before 

 directed, they will generally succeed very well, provided they 

 take care to cover them in case of a cold change of weather. 

 The roots may be thus cultivated entire, as is frequently 

 done ; but if it be desired to have them parted, this business 

 can be easily accomplished without disturbing the roots, and 



the offsets may be planted in the ground separately or potted. 



, i _ 



* In order to obtain an extra number of plants from any choice varieties, 

 cuttings are frequently taken from the shoots when about three inches in 

 length, which are planted in nursery-pots, and cultivated in hot-beds ; they 

 require to be shaded from the sun, by mats, for the first fortnight, after 

 which they may be gradually inured to the air, and treated as plants raised 

 in the ordinary way. 



