1 14 On the Culture of Dahlias. 



border, in front of the conservatory, of light sandy loam en- 

 riched with rotten leaves and dung. The Bidentifolia, v. jS. 

 coccinca, continued in an uninterrupted state of growth, but 

 the two others had suffered a great check, and lost their main 

 stem. All of them now grew rapidly, being regularly wa- 

 tered as they appeared to want it, and on the 16th of July, 

 I first remarked flower buds, appearing upon all of them. 

 The Bidentifolia, v. /?. coccinea, opened its first flowers the last 

 week in that month, and was completely covered with them 

 during August and September. The other two plants were 

 later, and expanded fewer flowers, but were much more lux- 

 uriant in their growth, being at least seven feet high, and full 

 of foliage, whilst the Bidentifolia, v. jQ. coccinea, was not more 

 than four feet high, and much less luxuriant in its foliage. 



On the 28th of September we had a sharp frost, and on the 

 29th, the cold increasing with a heavy fall of snow, my plants 

 were completely cut down to the ground. On the 1st of 

 October they were taken up, potted, and planted in the con- 

 servatory for the winter. Being present at this operation, I 

 remarked what will, perhaps, fully account for their differ- 

 ence in flowering. To the stems of those which had made 

 luxuriant foliage and few flowers, large tubers adhered, simi- 

 lar to those of the Paeony, and very different from their roots, 

 but upon the plant which had flowered so abundantly, not 

 even one tuber was formed. I have separated the tubers, 

 and hope that each of them will next spring produce a flow- 

 ering plant. I was fortunate enough to obtain a good deal 

 of ripe seed of the Bidentifolia, v. j8. coccinea, by drying the 

 heads gradually in a hothouse, after they were gathered upon 

 being cut down by the frost. 



