m 



dark room, to promote the shooting of the roots, after which 

 expose them to the sun light as much as possible. They will 

 bloom, however, with little or no sun, but the flowers will be 

 inferior in color. The water should be changed as often as it 

 becomes impure, at which period the roots ought to be drawn 

 entirely out of the glasses and rinsed in clean water, the 

 glasses being at the same time well washed inside. Rain or 

 soft water is preferable to that termed hard, but either will 

 answer the purpose, provided it be perfectly clear Bulbs 

 that have been forced are of but little value, and require a 

 considerable period to regain their natural vigor. When re- 

 moved from the pots or glasses, they should be immersed in 

 water for a week, and then planted in a soil properly prepaied, 

 where they will usually commence flowering again the second 

 year. 



DAHLIA, OR GEORGIAN A. 



Few of our most rustic plants exact less care than this 

 splendid native of Mexico. Indeed, so simple is its culture, 

 that it is already widely disseminated in every part of Europe, 

 as well as in the West Indies, South America, etc., in all of 

 which it has been found to succeed. It will thrive in any 

 good soil, but as is the case with other plants held in great es- 

 timation, amateurs bestow more care on its culture than is ab- 

 solutely required, and have adopted particular rules for that 

 object. The roots are tuberous, and towards the last of April 

 they begin to push out young shoots at the base of the stem 

 of the previous year. At this period, or in May, they should 

 be planted ; they will, however, succeed perfectly well if this 

 is deferred till June, but will not come so soon into flowering. 

 Plants grown in pots should not be planted until the frosts 

 have entirely subsided. In England they usually, from choice, 

 plant the Dahlia in poor, gravelly soil, in order to render it 

 more dwarf in stature, and this course may have its advan- 

 tage in a humid atmosphere. In our own country, however 

 where the heat of summer is excessive, and where we are 

 sometimes visited by severe drought, the Dahlia would often 

 be absolutely blighted, unless the soil were suflScientiy rich 

 and retentive of moisture. When planted in a generous »oiI 



