AFTER CULTURE. 95 



as soon as you have done with the bloom, earth i p the plants, in 

 order that when the frost comes it may not reach the crown. 



Preserving the Roots. 



The plants may be raised without injury, immediately after the 

 blooms are cut off by the frost, provided that they are hung up in a 

 dry and ordinarily protected situation, with the roots uppermost, if care 

 is taken to leave six or seven inches of the stem attached to each tuber ; 

 this may be done without the slightest fear of their withering from 

 having been lifted in a green state. As the winter advances, and the 

 tubers become matured and firm, the ordinary modes of protection 

 against frost may be resorted to. 



Treatment when Flowering. 



When the buds of your Dahlias begin to appear, you must take 

 them off until you think the plants have attained their full vigor, and 

 then permit only every third bud to grow to maturity ; by doing this, 

 it is true, yflu will not have so numerous a show of flowers, but those 

 which you have, will attain the highest state of perfection your plants 

 are capable of; taking into account their situation and previous treat- 

 ment, and, what is of paramount importance, the character of the 

 season. In the treatment of flowers grown for exhibition at flower 

 shows, it is a common practice to bind down the disk of the flower 

 towards the earth, by which, it is said, the flowers are rendered more 

 perfect in form, and richer in color. When in flower, the bloom should 

 be shaded from the sun, during the hottest parts of the day. 



Striped Varieties. The striped kinds have a tendency to " run," as 

 it is termed, into self-colored flowers, if not carefully treated, and 

 almost invariably do so when planted in rich soil ; the best mode of 

 keeping them " clean," that is, in their prime estate as striped flowery 

 is to plant them in poor soil. 



Autumnal and Winter Treatment. 



It is the practice with many persons to take up their Dahlia roots 

 as soon as the shrubs are cut down by the frost ; this is not desirable, 

 because if the tubers are taken up before their vital powers are hi a 



