Propagation of the Dahlia. 517 



"that buds are formed far down in the root; and that, more es- 

 pecially, these are formed in the tubers at the time of ripening, 

 as even old roots on rich land, and not well ripened, did not 

 produce buds." Let no one trust to this, lest his hopes be 

 grievously disappointed. I am aware that the growers for sale 

 will not rest their faith on it for a future supply. As formerly 

 mentioned, the roots of dahlias produced from cuttings can only 

 have the buds found in the axils of the leaves. I have often 

 examined for my own satisfaction, and never could discover 

 buds on any other part of the root. I have often seen the 

 tubers grow in such a manner that the buds appeared to spring 

 from the base, and not from the crown of the root; but this, on 

 examination, will be found to be only in appearance. This 

 formation of the roots is very frequently found in plants grown 

 in pots; less so in those which have been reared in the open 

 ground. I am not aware that the roots form buds in ripening ; 

 I have never seen it : let the root of a dahlia be examined at 

 the earliest period of its growth, and every bud will be seen to 

 exist in embryo ; that these are matured with the growth of the 

 root cannot be disputed. The writer of this has taken dahlia 

 roots from the ground when little more than half their season's 

 growth was over, and certainly anything but well ripened ; and 

 these roots sprang with equal vigour the following year, and the 

 buds as numerous as those that had been thoroughly matured. 



That the roots of dahlias, in common with the roots of all 

 other plants, in cases where the crown has accidently or in- 

 tentionally been destroyed, will make a powerful effort to renew 

 this most important part, every practical man of the slightest 

 observation is aware ; but they are equally certain that these 

 efforts are not always successful, and much less so in the dahlia 

 than in most other plants. In consequence of having heard it 

 asserted, that a tuber without a crown, if placed in a favourable 

 situation, would form buds, and ultimately grow, the writer 

 deprived a number of tubers of their buds, planted them in 

 pots, plunged them in a gentle heat, and had them regularly 

 attended to w'ith water, along with other plants placed in the 

 same frame; rootlets were produced, as in other dahlias planted 

 at the same time, but not mutilated in the same manner. No 

 buds ever were organised. The cellular tissue, indeed, was 

 thrown out in irregular masses around the top, and on the 

 surface of the tuber, but always retained its simple structure. I 

 do not mean to infer from the above failure, that the efforts of 

 the vital energy in the root is always abortive, but I will posi- 

 tively assert, that, in nine cases out of ten, the result will be un- 

 satisfactory; which any one possessed of a few dahlia roots may 

 prove to his own satisfaction. 



There are few cultivators of the dahlia who have not, at one 



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