130 On the Cultivation and Management 



cayed leaves are also an excellent manure, and are the most suit- 

 able of any for placing immediately around the rools, especially 

 when it is desirable to encourage a small plant. We have expe- 

 rienced very bad efiects from the too free use of strong heating 

 manures; when the young roots come in contact with such, they 

 are apt to rot and lose their extremities. Street sweepings should 

 be used very sparingly. An amateur friend of ours tried that 

 fertilizing substance, bone <lust, the past season, with very good 

 effect. Let such manure as is made use of, in all cases be well 

 rotted, and no fears may be entertained. 



There are various opinions respecting the situation and expo- 

 sure of dahlias; all agree that it should be sheltered from the 

 winds as much as possible. Some prefer a very sjmny aspect, 

 others a partially shaded one; some plant exposed to the North, 

 others to the South and West. For our own part we prefer a 

 perfectly open situation, where the air circulates freely, and, if 

 there is any choice, a Southerly aspect. We never plant near 

 high fences, or under the drip of trees, unless with some poor 

 sort, which we are indifferent about, merely to fill up a border. 

 In both places they draw up slenderly, the colors of the flowers 

 are faint, and the branches weak. We have always noticed that 

 an airy situation is the most beneficial. Wlien planted in beds 

 we prefer to have the rows and walks run from East to West. 



Propagation of the roots. — After what has been given by Mr. 

 Putnam and Mr. Mackenzie, (vol. I, pp. 130 and 172,) it would 

 be mere repetition for us to detail the various modes of propaga- 

 tion. By cuttings and separation of the roots are the methods. 

 For all ordinary purposes the dividing of the roots answers well; 

 if the object is simply to duplicate or triplicate a variety, sepa- 

 rate the roots, which can be done without trouble; but if the 

 object is to raise plants to sell, especially of rare varieties, they 

 should be grown from cuttings. Let it be always borne in mind, 

 when cutting the roots asunder, to leave a prominent eye on each 

 tuber. Cuttings cannot be easily rooted without the aid of a 

 hot-bed. Some cultivators prefer cuttings ; others tubers. 

 Either the one or the other, properly treated, will produce an 

 abundance of flowers. 



Planting the roots. — We will suppose the plants to be stand- 

 ing in pots: whether raised from seed, cuttings or tubers, is im- 

 material. We will also suppose the soil to have been duly pre- 

 pared, as we have before mentioned. Mark out the rows where 

 the plants are to stand; dig the holes, and, carefully turning the 

 plants out of the pots, place them therein; fill up with fine soil, 

 and finish with a light watering. The depth of planting depends 

 somewhat upon the plant; we generally set from one to two 

 inches deeper than the surface of the soil in the pots: if the 



