56 



mostly bearing flowers of a yellow colour, with a few exceptions of 

 white and purple, they are readily increased by seed, layers or buds. 



Dahlia, Composites. The habit of the Dahlia of late years has 

 been considerably improved, and instead of having plants 8 or 10 

 feet high as used to be, the majority are not over 4 feet high, some 

 even 1 to 2 feet only . The graceful habit of some, when laden with 

 blooms from the base to the summit is most pleasing. The Dwarf 

 kinds are termed Lillyput Bouquet or Pompon. It is a plant 

 of the simplest culture. The tubers should be potted at the 

 end of May, and when the plants have attained about a foot in 

 height, be shifted to the garden beds or into very large pots. The 

 soil should be moderately good, but made as retentive of moisture 

 as possible, anything short of clay will suit them at the time of 

 planting, neat straight sticks about 3 feet long should be inserted 

 in the ground, and to these the young plants be tied. Water freely 

 in dry weather. Side shoots or laterals should be carefully tied to 

 stout sticks about 2 feet high, no lateral should be removed, as 

 they produce the best flowers, and tend considerably to decrease 

 the apparent height of the main plant. In November, the Dahlia 

 winters, when the stems have entirely died, the roots should be 

 carefully taken up so as not to divide the tubers from the crown or 

 stem in which the life of the plant lies, be thoroughly dried and 

 packed in dry earth till the next growing season. 



The method by which favourite sorts may be increased is as 

 follows : The old tubers are to be placed in a large flower pot of 

 good leaf -mould, and old manure, leaving the crowns only exposed. 

 The shoots which quickly rise from the tubers are cut or clipped 

 off, when about two or three inches in length and put into fresh 

 pots, or in a bed, where they must be carefully watered, and shaded, 

 until they have struck and taken root, when they will grow vigor- 

 ously. Tubers that have no eyes near the crown should be re- 

 jected. If grown from seed, the plant should be removed when 

 about four or six inches high, and if placed in the ground, a space 

 of two feet at least between each plant allowed ; and as the plant 

 arrives at maturity, it must be supported by strong sticks. When 

 the stalk has become dry, the tubers may be removed and kept 

 in a room either upon sand or pounded charcoal, 



