156 POPULAR GARDEN FLOWERS 



the following year. In rare cases it plays the r61e 

 thus allotted to it admirably, but in the majority 

 it breaks down, being unsuited for its part. Successes 

 are most numerous in well-drained, light, warm soils in 

 mild districts. In cold localities, and particularly in 

 damp soil, the roots die. Those who prefer to winter 

 their Dahlias out of doors should put a few inches of 

 ashes or dry litter above the stools in autumn. 



Apart from want of hardiness, there is another good 

 reason why the Dahlia should not be treated as a hardy 

 herbaceous perennial except in particularly favourable 

 circumstances, and that is that cuttings struck under 

 glass in late winter and early spring make stronger 

 plants and give finer flowers than old stools left in the 

 border. The whole routine of modern culture turns 

 upon this fact. It means the treatment of the Dahlia 

 in an unnatural way, it is true, but there is no doubt 

 about the superior results obtained. The inherent 

 vigour of the plant preserves it from injury. It is 

 under the " natural " system that the plant might be 

 expected to suffer. It forms a large mass of tubers 

 underground, and the roots from these feed so greedily 

 as to impoverish the soil rapidly and make frequent 

 renewal necessary if the plants are to be kept strong 

 and healthy. 



After Flowering. Assuming that the root-stocks are 

 to be taken up in autumn, after the foliage and flowers 

 have been disfigured by cold weather, the stems should 

 be cut back to short stumps. When the roots are lifted 

 it will be found that most of the soil can be brushed 

 or shaken away readily if the soil is friable, leaving the 

 roots quite clean. In this case they will only need to be 

 dried in the sun for a few hours before storing. If, how- 

 ever, the soil is clay, a good deal of it may stick to the 



