72 THE FLOWER GARDEN COMPANION. 



Grafting. The choice kinds may be increased by graft- 

 ing on the tubers of the common varieties ; by taking the 

 tubers of the latter, cutting them square on the top, making a 

 slit down the centre, and inserting a shoot of the kind to be 

 increased, which should be cut into the form of a wedge ; 

 which see, under the head of " Propagating Green-house 

 Plants by Grafting." When grafted, the roots may be inserted 

 into pots, and treated in the same manner as recommended 

 for cuttings. 



Planting out. The time of planting out the Dahlia for 

 final flowering, must depend on the season and the different 

 parts of the Union in which it is to be grown. The best 

 direction I can give is, not to attempt it until the frosts are all 

 over, and the weather is sufficiently warm to insure its free 

 rooting into the earth, which should be previously dug and 

 well pulverized; from the 10th of May to the latter end of 

 the month will be a good time for most parts of eastern and 

 western states, whilst March or April will probably answer 

 better in the southern states. The planting may be performed 

 by making holes sufficiently large to receive the plants with- 

 out breaking the balls of earth about them. The plants may 

 then be carefully turned out of the pots, with their balls en- 

 tire, and some fine earth carefully placed around them, when 

 a little water may be given to settle the earth to the roots, 

 and the work is done. When the roots are to be divided, the 

 tubers may be planted simply as any other roots, at the pro- 

 per time. 



General Culture and Training. The principal culture 

 required for the Dahlia, is to keep the earth about the roots, 

 in a clean mellow state ; the surface of the earth should be 

 often hoed and raked, which gives an air of neatness, and is 

 beneficial to the growth of the plants, by attracting the dew 

 and moist atmospheric air in hot weather. There are many 

 modes adopted for training the Dahlia, but they all tend to the 

 same result, viz. to secure the plants from being broken down 

 by high winds, and to place the branches in such a position 



