May.'] DAHLIAS. 101 



MAY. 



As the seas:n for planting out the Dahlia is now ap- 

 proaching, we will endeavour to give our readers the whole 

 subject of their management, so as to insure a good bloom 

 of this, the most fashionable and popular ornamental plant of 

 the present day. As very many are entirely unacquainted 

 with the nature and even the habits of the plant, a brief 

 synopsis :>f its history will assist in giving a key to its cul 

 ture. The plant was first discovered by Humboldt, in Mex- 

 ico, growing in sandy plains three thousand feet above 

 the level of the sea. The date is not precisely known, but 

 supposed to be about 1785-6. Indisputable authority, how- 

 ever, speaks of its being introduced into England in 1789 ; 

 but was lost and again introduced in 1803, from Madrid, by 

 Lady Holland; from which period till 1830 it had but little 

 notice in cultivation. Indeed, it seems to have been reserved 

 for the intelligent growers of the last few years to bring it 

 into general notice ; and if we take a retrospective view of 

 the rapid progress of Dahlia culture within these last five 

 years, we will be led to exclaim, " Where will all this termi- 

 nate V But time alone can solve the question ; at present it 

 is impossible to come to any satisfactory conclusions. Only 

 a few years ago, and who would have conceited the idea of 

 having tipped, striped, and spotted Dahlias of almost every 

 hue and colour; and although historical writers on the genus 

 alluded to the improbability of a blue flower ever being pro- 

 duced, yet it is not unreasonable to imagine that ere long we 

 will have flowers beautifully and distinctly striped with black 

 and white, and even combining the gaudy colours of the tulip, 

 or the choicest hues of the carnation ; perhaps the criteria of 

 character may change to those of huge globular forms or 

 balls nay, even the odour of the Rose or the Jasmine may 

 be imparted, and what then? Only let amateurs and culti- 

 vators persevere with the spirit they have done during the 

 last few years, and we think all we have advanced will bo 

 realized. 



Propagation. This operation may be performed in various 

 ways, either by division of the root, by cutting off the young 

 shoots, or by grafting. For general planting division of the 

 9* 



