128 On the Cultivation and Manasemcnt 



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the situation and other circumstances, but if the soil is good and 

 of a nature suited to the plants, they will flower in good perfec- 

 tion. In connection with this it may not be out of the way to 

 notice some facts connected with our own experience. Three 

 years since, when dahlias were first extensively cultivated around 

 Boston, we procured one of the best collections to be found. 

 Relying upon making a superb display, the roots were planted 

 with what we thought to be the greatest attention; the plants 

 were turned out of the pots; they soon rooted, grew finely for 

 a week or two, and then all at once came to a stand; they were 

 duly watered, occasionally with liquid manure, but all seemed 

 to have no effect. The lateral shoots soon commenced to grow; 

 these were trimmed out, in hopes of starting the main shoot; 

 but in scarcely an instance did it have any effect. Thus the 

 plants lingered through the summer and fall, only a few out of 

 upwards of a hundred producing blossoms, and those miserable 

 specimens: in fact, some of the plants were no higher at the end 

 of the season than when planted, though they were much more 

 stocky, or rather stumpy. What could be the occasion of this 

 we could not conceive. The soil where they were planted was 

 a light sandy loam, about twelve inches deep, on a dry, firm, 

 sandy bottom: when they were planted holes were dug fifteen 

 inches deep, and filled with manure, and the soil taken out mix- 

 ed together; the plants were carefully transplanted. The roots, 

 when taken up, were not more than half grown, and many died 

 during the winter. 



The spring arrived, and we were determined, if possible, not 

 to again suffer such disappointment. The ground was prepared 

 for planting; a good quantity of old manure was spread on, and 

 the surface spaded over. In the mean time we endeavored, if 

 possible, to discover from what cause the plants failed the pre- 

 ceding year; and after looking through all the various English 

 works, we came to the conclusion that the shallow soil alone pre- 

 vented their success. Upon this we decided to have the ground 

 trenched. It was done. The loamy soil was thrown into the 

 bottom of the trench, (two feet deep,) and the sand at the top; 

 a light dressing of manure was then dug into the sand, and when 

 the holes for the plants were marked out, and dug, they were 

 also partly filled, at the top, with very rotten manure. The 

 plants were set out and grew vigorously; week after week they 

 continued to advance rapidly, and August found them well bud- 

 ded. In September they were in full bloom all the month. The 

 roots ripened very well, considering the early frost of that year. 



The last spring the same ground that was trenched the pre- 

 vious season, after being lightly manured was trenched again, 

 and the sand and soil well incorporated to the same depth as be- 

 fore. The plants were raised in pots, as usual, and turned im- 



