70 



cured easily. Let it be distributed all over the piece 

 or border ; if otherwise, mix it in the soil immedi- 

 ately where the plant is to be deposited. 



Let it always be kept in mind that it is a very fatal 

 error to imagine that the flowers of the dahlia will be 

 improved or rendered larger by planting in a rich or 

 highly nutritive soil ; for, instead of this desired effect 

 being thus secured, the plants will be induced to pro- 

 duce super-luxuriant shoots and leaves, whilst the 

 flowers either will be reduced both in size and num- 

 ber, or they will be rendered coarse and deficient in 

 beauty of form. 



Where the ground is very poor, and has to be 

 made, as it were, there is no addition equal to the soil 

 formed by rotten turfs, cut tolerably thick, which may 

 be estimated at one half loam and half vegetable 

 mould ; but this should be laid on in abundance, and 

 will be far better than dung of any kind. Among 

 the results of planting the dahlia in soil that is too 

 rich, the principal one is that of remarkably vigorous 

 growth, with little bloom, and that little bad. (Gard, 

 and Flor. ii. 23.) 



Nitrate of soda has been employed with very great 

 improvement to the flowers when, either from the soil 

 being poor, or other cause, the dahlias have appeared 

 weakly. This result of private practice is confirmed 

 by the following results of experiments instituted in 

 the Chiswick Gardens : — 



