SINGLE DAHLIA. 31 



most abundantly for nearly four months ; and even in the 

 middle of November they will still be bright and full of 

 flower, and will so continue until a decided frost occurs, 

 which, of course, will effectually close their gay career. 



To grow dahlias for exhibition demands skill and the 

 enthusiasm that delights in conquering difficulties. To 

 grow dahlias for delight is such an easy matter, that it is 

 enough to plant the roots in April or May, and do nothing 

 more but keep down weeds and wait patiently for moun- 

 tains of flowers. The dahlia is, in fact, a flower for every- 

 body, and any soil or situation will produce dahlias ; for 

 dahlias share with chrysanthemums the honour of bright- 

 ening back yards in smoky towns, these two beauties being 

 the flowers of all flowers in smokeland. To this it should 

 be added that in a rich soil — and it can scarcely be too rich 

 — and in country air, dahlias attain to a perfection that is 

 not possible under less favourable conditions ; and thus we 

 present the two sides of dahlia culture, with the happy 

 conviction that they are both bright sides, and differ but 

 in degrees of brightness. 



The routine of dahlia culture consists in starting the 

 roots into growth in heat in March, and striking cuttings 

 of the shoots produced to pro vide plants for planting out at 

 the end of May. They should be put at from two and a 

 half to five feet apart, according to the relative vigour of 

 the varieties, the grand show class requiring a space of at 

 least four to five feet from plant to plant. They must be 

 well supported with stakes against the wind, or they must 

 be made to support themselves by a clever twist that snaps 

 but does not break the stem, and compels them to sit on 

 the ground, as it t were, and form spreading bush-like 

 instead of tree-like masses. When in autumn frost has 



