75 



This department of dahlia culture is too much ne- 

 glected by gardeners, who may fill their largest beds 

 with little trouble : all they have to do is to avoid 

 flowers with weak footstalks, and to select those cha- 

 racterized by strength of footstalk ; such as Perpetual 

 Grand, Cleopatra, Essex Triumph, Cassandra, &c. 



Staking. — When the plants are much exposed, or, 

 indeed, wherever grown, they require to be supported 

 by strong stakes ; these should be put in at the time 

 of planting, or shortly afterwards ; for, if this work be 

 done later, the roots will be injured by the stakes in 

 driving them down ; this hurts the plants when ad- 

 vanced materially, sometimes even killing them. 

 (Hort. Soc. Trans, vii. 162.) 



They require to be thus supported to keep them 

 from being broken down, not only by high winds, but 

 by the mere weight of their own flowers and foliage 

 during heavy rains. The best fastening for them is 

 the green cord used for window blinds. 



Stake them with one large stake, to be permanent, 

 and secure the plant sufficiently loose to allow the 

 stem to swell. Add two small stakes at right-angles, 

 to which the plant must also be secured ; this will 

 keep it in a firm position during the worst weather. 

 Add large stakes as the plant advances, and keep the 

 side-branches secured. In this particular, there is 

 generally some neglect ; by deferring the tying until 

 it can be done all at once, an unexpected high wind 



