104 ARRANGEMENT. "May 



Dahlia, I think, is in groups ; each group should be com- 

 posed of a different section of colour : this affords a close 

 comparison, and gives greater diversity of landscape than 

 combining the colours ; the tallest-growing sorts should be 

 carefully planted in the centre or at the back of each group. 

 The roots should be planted from three to four feet from 

 each other every way. But where they are planted in rows 

 along walks or avenues, two or three feet will be a sufficient 

 distance from plant to plant. Individual plants look ex- 

 tremely well if they are of a dwarf habit. To have a con- 

 tinued succession of bloom, there should be two plantings ; 

 the first about the fifteenth of the month, and the latest 

 about the end of June; it is the June planting that gene- 

 rally produces the finest flowers ; this fact (though lately 

 discovered) is now well understood by some cultivators, and 

 is easily accounted for. When plants are forced and planted 

 early, they are in a flowering state much earlier, to be sure, 

 but they are overtaken with, perhaps, a hot dry summer, 

 which " blights" the buds, and are more subject to the dis- 

 ease called "curl;" the young leaves, as they expand, are per- 

 forated with numerous holes ; the margins become brownish, 

 as if burnt; they then become curled, placid, and the whole 

 plant unhealthy and dwarfish. The principal stem ceases to 

 grow, and numerous suckers and stems arise from below, 

 forming a dense bush. The flowers of such plant, as might 

 be expected, are small and irregular ; and however excellent 

 the variety may be, they yield nothing but disappointment 

 to the anxiously expectant cultivator. This disease is caused 

 by an insect, Oymix CMoroterus, or green bug. It inhabits 

 the extremities of the Dahlia, and grows and feeds on the 

 under surface of the young leaves, and in its destruction is 

 aided by our frequently hot and arid months of July and 

 August. Hence, the reason that the late planting gives 

 most satisfaction, they are in these months in a rapid grow- 

 ing state, and if attacked outgrow the effects, and push at 

 once into bloom in the more moist and cooling month of 

 September. The only remedy that is known for the above 

 evil is, to look over the plants cautiously in the morning, 

 when the first attacks are perceptible, and pick off the in- 

 sects ; it has to be approached with caution, as it instinctively 

 throws itself down among the leaves if disturbed ; and if it 

 escape?, it again climbs up, and commences its depredations 



