Propagation of Dahlias. 417 



mass of cellular matter, but gradually begins to thicken at the 

 surface, and get of a red and green colour, vessels are seen to be 

 produced and buds organised, which, if placed in favourable 

 circumstances, will evolve into shoots. I have seen the buds 

 literally crowded together like bees in a hive. Dr. Carpenter 

 says that the blood of animals, even when altogether separated 

 and spread out, has been seen to organise vessels, from the 

 strength of the vital principle. We have heard little of these 

 objections lately: but now it has been brought forward in a dif- 

 ferent shape, and it is asserted, that, in roots from which many cut- 

 lings have been taken, the later cuttings will not produce such good 

 flowers; a sort of inexplicable debility has taken place, and though 

 a person has got a strong-growing plant, it is not to be depended 

 on unless he can tell whether it is the first or the hundredth cut- 

 ting that has been taken off; as if a person ordinarily skilled in 

 plants could not tell a healthy-growing plant when he saw it. It 

 is true that the first cuttings taken off have taken away so much of 

 the starch deposited in the tuber, but the quantity is small. What is 

 the weight of all the cuttings taken off in comparison with the root? 

 The decomposition of the starch is still going on, and new food 

 being produced, and the fibres which the new shoots send out are 

 collecting more. Should it even happen that the last cuttings 

 are weaker, it will be perceived ; and, when the active young 

 roots are produced on the weakest cutting, how often have we 

 seen a very diminutive plant, from being in more favourable cir- 

 cumstances, set away with vigour, and soon become a stronger 

 plant than the others. In fact, I have generally found, in my 

 experience, that the very strong shoots are the worst of all to 

 root. As a proof, we have often sold to our customers cuttings 

 taken from the rooted cuttings we got down, which flowered 

 sooner and better than our own plants. I recollect this par- 

 ticularly in the case of Brewer's Rival King, to Mr. Tillery at 

 FuUarton House, now at Welbeck ; and to Mr. Buchannan, at 

 Caprington, now in America. The quantity or quality of 

 flowers does not altogether depend on the strength of the plant: 

 the quantity will be increased rather by stunting a very luxuriant 

 plant, and the quality, although depending on luxuriance, does 

 also depend on the former state of the plant ; if it has been 

 rather in a starved state when the flower buds are formed, and 

 if plentiful rains occur and heat, or if manure or water be 

 given copiously thereafter, a closer and better flower may be 

 had than if it had always grown luxuriantly. It is a pity poor 

 nurserymen have to come in for the blame, when it is, perhaps, 

 only the state of the weather. Every buyer should let his eyes be 

 judge of the plant, without enquiring whether it is from the first 

 or twentieth dozen of cuttings that has been taken off^ the root. 

 Kilmarnock, June 14. 1841. 



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