CASSELL'S POPULAE GAEDENINO-. 



should he at least four to six feet apart ; three or 

 four spadefuls of soil should be taken out, and the 

 same quantity of rotten manure added, mixing it 

 thoroughly with the soil. Then planting should he 

 done, placing some fine soil ahout the roots, and 

 pressing the whole firmly about them. At the time of 

 planting a centre stake should be placed against each 

 plant, and three short stakes at a triangle, about a 

 foot from it, as by tying the matting to the centre 

 stake, thence to the plant, and fastening to the 

 shorter stakes, it is made quite secure against harm 

 from winds. It is a great advantage to grow on the 

 plants in pots before planting out, giving them two 

 or three shifts if necessary, and so encouraging 

 them to root strongly. 



During the month of July they should make 

 considerable progress, and if the cultivator desires 

 fine blooms, the principal things to attend to are to 

 keep the plants well watered, which should be 

 done at night with soft water, over the foHage, and 

 looking weU after insects. Earwigs eat the young 

 foliage as well as the blooms of Dahlias, and the old 

 plan of placing a smaU flower-pot with a little moss 

 in it inverted on the principal stake is a good one, 

 as earwigs find a place of refuge in it, and can be 

 easily trapped. The surface of the soil between the 

 plants should also be raked over occasionally and 

 made loose. In August, those who want some 

 blooms of fine quality, thin out superfluous shoots, 

 doing it with judgment so that much foliage be not 

 cut off at a time. There is a great difference in the 

 varieties; some reqtdre to have aU their wood and 

 buds reserved for some time ; others require to have 

 a great deal of the wood cut away early. These are 

 matters of experience which cultivators of Dahlias 

 for exhibition purposes have to find out in the course 

 of their practice. Even in growing Dahlias for 

 ordinary border purposes some thinning out is 

 requisite, or the flowers will be small and unsatis- 

 factory. As the plants make growth it is necessary 

 to keep the branches securely tied to the stakes ; and 

 during hot dry weather the plants will be greatly 

 benefited by having the soil about them slightly 

 loosened, and a mulching of short well-rotted manure 

 placed over it. A good soaking of water at the 

 roots should be given twice a week, and a little over 

 the foliage every night. 



"Thinning out" and "disbudding" are terms 

 employed by cultivators of the Dahlia for show 

 purposes ; let us try and ascertain what they mean. 

 How many main branches may remain ? The larger 

 the flowers, the greater the number of branches 

 allowed to a plant. In the case of varieties pro- 

 ducing large and moderately-sized flowers, six 

 should be left ; in the case of those producing smaller 

 ftowers, four only. Wiich of the shoots are to be 



pinched off ? The centre of the plants should be kept 

 free and unencumbered; and therefore lateral growths 

 may be pinched off the shoots nearest to the maiK 

 stem ; but seeing that leaves exercise an important 

 function in maintaining the health and vigour of the 

 plants, the leaf at the axil from which the shoot pro- 

 ceeds should be allowed to remain. The pinching 

 off of young shoots is to be preferred to the removal 

 at » later period of large stems, by which the plant 

 cannot fail to lose large quantities of sap, to the 

 manifest detriment of the coming flowers. And in 

 pinching out shoots those should be reserved that 

 help the formation of a well-proportioned plant. 

 Thfese principles are general in their application, 

 which varies according to the characteristics of the 

 variety. 



Then as to the " disbudding " of the clusters of 

 blossom-buds on various parts of the plant : which 

 are to remain, and which to be removed ? Buds are 

 generally formed in groups of three ; of these, the 

 one pccupying the centre is earliest, and generally 

 . produces the largest bloom. Ordinarily, the two side 

 buds may be removed ; the exception to this rule, 

 with regard to very uncertain varieties, is in the 

 case of a sort that produces flowers in plenty, but 

 few good ones. In these cases a little patience is 

 necessary to enable the cultivator to ascertain which 

 buds must, from their formation, produce faulty 

 flowers, and these should be removed as soon as their 

 true character is ascertained, but not until then. In 

 sorts producing large flowers the removal of the two 

 side buds can be done, except in the case of very free 

 bloomers; but in the case of varieties habitually 

 yielding small and compact blooms, especially where 

 buds are produced in enormous quantities, whole 

 clusters may be cleared away without remorse, and 

 only those single buds left which point outwards. 



Writers on the cultivation of the Dahlia for ex- 

 hibition purposes are found recommending the free 

 use of stimulants, and especially liquid manure. 

 But they should not be applied imtU the plant haa 

 nearly completed its growth, say three weeks or a 

 mouth before flowers are wanted. The object in 

 applying this is to get large, full blooms. Manure- 

 water may then be applied twice a week, taking care 

 not to wet the foliage, and it is best applied in wet 

 weather. Though recommended by some, it is not 

 a good practice to put soot into water before using 

 it for watering overhead; only pure, dear water 

 should be so used. 



The time for lifting the roots in the autumn must 

 depend upon the weather; if the tops are quite 

 destroyed by frost, the roots should be lifted on the 

 first dry day ; but should the season be favourable 

 and there be no frost, two objects wiH be gained by 

 allowing them to remain ia Uie ground for a time. 



