THE DAHLIA. 19 



CHAPTER III 



PROPAGATION, 



THERE are four methods by which Dahlias are propagated — by cuttings, division of roots, 

 and by grafting to perpetuate existing kinds, and by seeds to produce new varieties. 

 Division of Roots. — This is the easiest and most satisfactory to amateurs, and is so 

 simple as to scarcely need description. As the eyes are" not on the individual tubers, but on the 

 crown to which the tubers are attached, care must be taken that each division has at least one eye. 

 It is, therefore, best to start the eyes by placing the roots in a warm, moist place a short time 

 before dividing. The roots are sometimes placed in a hot-bed, and the shoots grown to consid- 

 erable size, then divided and set out as plants ; but as this plan has many drawbacks, I would not 

 advise it. 



By Cuttings. — This method is used mainly by commercial growers, and though the amateur 

 may easily propagate plants successfully, the attention a few cuttings would require would be 

 so great that it would be cheaper to buy the plants. However, as it may be of interest to 

 some, I will describe how Dahlias are propagated by this method on commercial places. The 

 roots are planted closely in benches in the greenhouse early in January, and cuttings are made 

 from the young shoots as fast as they form the third or fourth set oi leaves. These cuttings 

 are carefully trimmed and placed in pure sand in the propagating bench, using a dibble, and 

 putting the cuttings in rows two or three inches apart and about a half inch between the 

 cuttings. The propagating bench is made by running a flue, hot water or steam pipes beneath 

 an ordinary bench, and boarding up the sides to confine the heat. Although there may be a 

 difference of opinion among propagators, yet a bottom or sand heat of 65 degrees, with the 

 temperature of the house from 5 to 10 degrees less, will give the best practical results. With this 

 temperature the cuttings will root in about two weeks and will be far stronger than if rooted 

 in less time with greater heat. As soon as the cuttings are rooted they are potted off into small 

 pots, and grown in a cool greenhouse until danger of frost is over, when they are planted out 

 in the open ground. ^ 



By Grafting. — This is a very interesting, though not profitable, mode of propagation. The 

 top of the tuber is cut slantingly upward, and the cutting slantingly downward, placed together 

 and tied with any soft, handy material. They are then planted in a pot deep enough to cover 

 the lower part of the graft with earth, and they will soon adhere if placed under a hand glass 

 or in a frame. But as grafting has no advantages over the ordinary mode of propagation by 

 cuttings, it is seldom practiced. 



By Seeds. — Though many grow Dahlias from seed instead of planting roots, yet seeds are 

 generally planted to produce new varieties only. This being the case, the matter will be fully 

 treated in another chapter under the head of new varieties. 



Excessive Propagation. — I know of no other name for it, and must say that whoever is 

 guilty of it is doing a great deal of harm to Dahlia culture. By excessive propagation is meant 

 the forcing under glass not only of the roots but plants grown from the roots, often two or 

 three times removed. In this way many good varieties are so run down that they come abso- 

 lutely single, and it takes a year or two for them to recover their old-time vigor. Especially 

 do florists make a mistake in forcing their new introductions in this way, as they always lose 



in the end. 



A number of years ago a firm in England introduced a very fine Dahlia, and to meet the 

 enormous demand the stock was forced under great heat ; as a result the cuttings were so weak 

 that they made poor, delicate plants, and the few flowers produced had large open centers, many 

 beifig almost perfectly single. Consequently every one was disappointed and considerable money 



