Encyclopaedia of Gardening 95 



Fancy. Classes 3 and 4 have quilled florets, spreading from the 

 centre to the circumference; the Cactus have pointed florets, the 

 Decorative blunt ones. Pompon-Cactus are practically a small 

 type of Cactus, not quite so loose and " feathery." Paeony-flowered 

 have large, irregular flowers, thrown up well above the leaves. All 

 require the same culture, unless it be a somewhat modified system 

 of pruning for Single and Pompon, which may be allowed to carry 

 more branches than the larger types. 



Propagation is effected by seeds, cuttings, and division. If seed 

 is sown in pots or boxes of gritty soil in winter, put in a warm frame 

 or house, the seedlings pricked out, hardened in a cool place, and 

 planted out in rich soil in June, they will flower the same year. The 

 flowers will be good or bad from the florists' point of view according 

 to the quality of the strain sold by the seedsmen, but they are 

 hardly likely to be equal to the best named varieties. A beginner 

 who wants to be sure of a good type will do well to buy plants of 

 recognised varieties in spring for June delivery. He can increase 

 these by cuttings the following spring if he likes to lift the tubers in 

 autumn, store them in a dry, frostproof place for the winter, and 

 put them in a warm, light place in March; for they will push up 

 young shoots which can be taken off at 3 ins. long, inserted singly 

 in small pots, placed in a warm house or frame, and covered to 

 exclude air. Propagation by division can be effected by separating 

 the tubers that form the rootstock from each other, starting them 

 in pots or boxes, and then planting them out. 



Soil. Dahlias love a deep, fertile, moist soil (see Kitchen 

 Garden Bastard trenching). The ground should be dug and 

 manured a few weeks before planting, to allow for settling. Water 

 and liquid manure will be helpful in dry weather. If they grow- 

 slowly at first, dissolve an ounce of nitrate of soda in a gallon of 

 water and give them a good soaking. 



Pruning. If the branches threaten to become thick some of 

 them should be cut out, as it is desirable to keep the centre of the 

 bushes open. 



Earwigs. These must be trapped with hollow Bamboo or Bean 

 stalks, or with small pots filled with hay. Staking must be thorough. 

 It is best to fix strong stakes when planting an inch square and 5 to 

 6 ft. long. They may be painted green and the base tarred. The 

 tying should be secure. 



Varieties. The following are good in the various sections: 



Show. 



A. M. Burnie, orange 

 Blush Gem, white, mauve tips 

 Crimson King, deep red 

 Ethel Britton, purple and white 

 Golden Gem, yellow 

 James Cocker, purple 

 John Walker, white 

 Mrs. Gladstone, blush 

 R. T. Rawlings, yellow 

 Queen of the Belgians, cream 

 and pink 



Fancy. 



Chorister, fawri 

 Comedian, orange, crimson, and 



white 



Dorothy, fawn and maroon 

 Gaiety, yellow, red, and white 

 Mabel, lilac and crimson 

 Matthew Campbell, buff and 



crimson 



Mrs. Saunders, yellow and white 

 Peacock, maroon and white 

 Novelty, purple and rose 



