New Dahlia Stake. 453 



about as coarse as a common cinder sieve: what this sieve stops 

 in sifting is thrown away, as it consists of stones of unequal size. 

 It is next passed through a finer sieve in a tub of water : all that 

 stops this time, being free from dirt, in consequence of the wash- 

 ing, is used for drainings for large pots. It is then passed 

 through a still finer sieve in water, and all that stops in this 

 sieve is used to drain smaller pots. After this it is well washed 

 through a very fine sieve, and all that is stopped by this sieve 

 serves to drain the smallest-sized pots ; and, by putting a 

 piece of tile or broken pot over the hole, and just covering it 

 with the draining-stones according to the size of the pot used, 

 it forms the best drainage I am acquainted with. The sand is 

 then used to strike in, by placing a piece of tile or pot over the 

 hole, and then filling the pot with the sand, which, being cleansed 

 from dirt, will never retain more moisture than is necessary for 

 the cuttings, and, when wanted to pot off, the cuttings are much 

 more easily shaken from such sand, than from that which has 

 not been washed. 



If it is intended to keep the cuttings in the same pot after 

 they are struck, then the pot must be drained in the usual way 

 with the tile and stones, and partly filled with suitable soil ; but, 

 if they are to be potted off when i*ooted, nothing but the sand is 

 necessary, and, though they may be often watered, no more 

 water will stay long in the sand than will be required. I ought 

 to have said that when I use only sand I make it very firm. 



I enclose a small quantity of the sand prepared from the 

 garden walks. 



[The sand received is quite free from soil, and consists of 

 yellow particles, a number of them quite bright and shining, 

 like particles of quartz.] 



Aumi&t 13. 1842. 



Art. VI. Notice of a new Dahlia Stake invented by Mr. Saul. 

 By M. Saul. 



The engraving {Jig. 40.) shows a stake formed of cast iron and 

 wire, which will serve as a protector both to the plant and 

 flowers of the dahlia. The lower parts of the protector (a, b b, 

 and c c,) are all cast together. At c c there are three pieces of 

 wire shown, which are put into the moulding-box before the 

 metal is poured in, so that, when it is poured into the mould, the 

 ends of the wire are so placed that the metal closes round them 

 and makes them secure, as shown at c c. The pieces of wire 

 d d are put in after this part is cast, by drilling holes through 



G g 3 



