White Flowers 197 
tiny awl-shaped leaves, and numerous snow-white flowers, borne all 
along the branching stems making compound panicles eighteen inches 
across. As it blooms until the heavy frosts and is a mass of feathery 
white flowers, it makes a valuable addition to the autumn garden. 
Give a rich moist situation. Propagate by division of root, which 
spreads extensively. 
Bottonta (B. asteroides). 5-7 ft. A plant resembling the Aster, 
of erect, hardy growth, bearing numerous heads of white flowers with 
yellow centers. Also blue and pink varieties. Propagate by seed and 
division of the root. It spreads badly, but can be planted among 
shrubbery. It blooms until late frosts. See Blue and Pink Per. Sept. 
CLEMATIS. Japanese (C. paniculata). 6-20 ft. The most desirable 
of all vines, making a vigorous growth of glossy green foliage, and 
covered through the autumn with loose feathery clusters of fragrant 
white flowers. Needs a deep rich moist soil, sun and a mulch through 
the summer. Propagated by cuttings made of half-ripened wood cut 
up at every eye, or by scraping the bark a little and layering the branches. 
If well watered, in the course of a year the cuttings will root at the 
joint covered, which may then be severed and planted before the growth 
begins in the spring. This vine is infested by two species of large 
. rapacious beetles in the early autumn. See Minz EnEMmEs, p. 126-7. 
They should be scraped into a can of water with a little kerosene in it. 
Dautta (D. variabilis). 3-6 ft. Many varieties of Cactus, Pompon 
and Peony-flowered in white. While not a hardy plant, Dahlias are a 
favorite with many, and are easily grown. They are raised from seed 
or by division of the root, which is a cluster of tubers; but care must be 
taken that each division has an eye or bud. These are not distributed 
over the surface as the eyes of a potato, but are in a ring around the 
collar of the root. In a dry state these are not perceptible, and nursery- 
men often plant the whole root in a hotbed to start the eyes and then 
divide it. The blind tubers (those without eyes), while plump and 
healthy looking, will not start a growth. These are sometimes grafted 
with a growing shoot of a choice variety, but it is a difficult process. 
Dahlias should be started in gentle heat and planted out after all danger 
of frost is over. Give a rich sandy loam, much sun and water. After 
blooming, or when frost bitten, cut down and, a little later, on a dry 
day, lift the tubers and dry in a shady airy place. Turn every day and 
shake off the earth from the root. Store in sand or sawdust in a dry 
cellar. 
