TENDER PLANTS FOR THE SUMMER GARDEN. 



51 



several classes, namely. Cactus, Decorative, fancy, Pompon, 

 show, and single. A large garden is the place for the 

 Dahlia, as the planl is loo bushy and vigorous unless 

 the beds or borders are bold ; and when a variety of a 

 good self colour can be freely grouped, the effect is 

 excellent. Dahlias are nol difficult In grow, ami they 



are easily increased by cuttings, divisi f the roots, or 



by seeds. The usual way is by cuttings, and these are 

 obtained by starting the old roots in cocoa-nut fibre refuse, 

 boxes filled with light soil, or similar receptacles, placed 

 over bottom heat to promote quick growth. Start 

 the roots in February, and take the cuttings off close to 

 the tuber, putting each culling into a small pot, or they 

 may be put round the sides of larger pots. When rooted 

 pot them off separately, and transfer them to larger sizes 

 as the pots become full of roots. Before planting them 

 out at the end of May they must be thoroughly hardened 

 off, and meanwhile prepare the sites by digging the soil 

 thoroughly and pulling a layer of manure in the bottom 

 ime into actual contact with the 

 growth progress,-,. 



to hnd 1 



owever, promote excess of leafage, 

 Many growers believe more in 

 i q u i d 



of the hole, not to 

 roots, but for them 

 Too rich soil will, h 

 which is undesirabk 

 watering with 1 

 manure in summer il the 

 plant appears to need sup- 

 port, and the growths must 

 be kepi well thinned out. 

 Before planting out, make 

 the holes ready, and put 

 in the stakes, for Dahlia , 

 require firm support, espe- 

 cially in wind-swept dis- 

 tricts. Another way to 

 propagate is by division of 

 the crowns when growth 

 commences, and this is 

 simple, as it means taking 

 off each tuber or two tubers 

 with an eye or two, potting 

 them into good soil, and 

 starting in gentle warmth, 

 or the old roots may be 

 transferred bodily to the 

 position they are to adorn ; 

 but striking cuttings is pre- 

 ferable. The Dahlia is not 

 hardy, and except, perhaps, 

 in quite the extreme South 

 of England and Ireland, 

 must be lifted when frost 

 has destroyed the beaut}' of 

 the plant. When this 

 occurs, lift the 

 roots carefully, remove 



as much soil as possible from them, and before 

 placing in the store, dry in the sun, or if the weather 

 is unkind, in a greenhouse, or even kitchen. Then put 

 them close together in boxes rilled with light soil, and 

 transfer to a cellar, or under the plant stage, where 

 they will be safe from frost, and not exposed to drip. 

 Very little water will suffice in winter, merely sufficient 

 to prevent the tubers shrivelling. 



Selection of Varieties. — This is an important point, 

 and confusing to those who know little of the various 

 races. If one desires new varieties, the collection must 

 be constantly added to, and others weeded out. Such a 

 course, however, is only necessary when one wishes to 

 obtain prizes at the exhibitions. The Cactus class is 

 the most handsome in the garden, anil will lie more- 

 valuable still when every variety throws its flowers well 

 above the leaves, as the prevailing fault is that one sees 

 more of the leaf than the blossom. Sometimes this is 

 the fault of giving too rich soil, and of not thinning out 

 the growths freely. The following are very beautiful in 

 colour, and, for the most part, throw their flowers above 

 the leaves : Bertha Mawley, crimson ; Charles Wood- 

 bridge, also of a crimson shade ; Countess of Gosford, a 



DAHLIAS, 



pretty colour association — yellow, touched with light 

 brown; Cycle, rich ruby; Delicata, soft pink, a pretty 

 shade; Fantasy, a coral colour (thin out the bails 

 freely); fusilier, salmon red; Gloriosa, very bright 

 crimson, loin lied with scarlet ; Harmony, red, shaded 

 bronze; Henry Stredwick, maroon; [uarezi, scarlet, the 

 variety upon which this group is founded, as it was 

 brought from Mexico in 1872, and fust show n by Messrs. 

 Cannell and Sons, of Swanley, seven years after; Lady 

 Penzance, yellow, a very clear and beautiful colour; 

 Matchless, maroon ; May Victor, yellow; Mrs. F. Fell 

 and Mrs. A. Peart, pure white. There is a single 

 Cactus class also in which the florets are twisted, as in 

 the double variety. These are very useful for cutting, 

 being graceful and pretty in colouring. This is a small 

 group, the best varieties being Ivanhoe, rose, crimson at 

 the base of the florets ; Lady Rowena, sulphur yellow, 

 with florets tipped with rose ; Meg Merrilies, yellow ; 

 and the Abbess, white. 



Fancy and Show Dahlias are grown chiefly lor exhi- 

 bition, and the fancy varieties differ only from the show 

 in being either tipped or striped with colour. It is a 

 very thin dividing line between the two groups. They 

 are, however, far less effec- 

 tive in the garden than the 

 Cactus, Pompon, and single 

 Dahlias. Of the fancy and 

 show kinds, the following 

 have been selected as the 

 most effective in colour : 

 Crimson Gem ; R. T. 

 Rawlings, yellow ; Rising 

 Sun, a very dwarf plant, 

 not more than 2ft. high at 

 the most, with big scarlet 

 flowers (this is very hand- 

 some when grouped) ; 

 Prince of Denmark, 

 maroon ; Queen of the 

 Belgians, verydelicate pink ; 

 and Yellow Pet, rich yellow. 



Decorative Dahlias are 

 those which show a twofold 

 character. They neither 

 belong to the show class 

 nor to the Cactus group. 

 The following are handsome 

 in the garden : Asia, a 

 peach tint ; Avalanche, 

 very delicate, almost pure 

 white, but with a faint 

 pink tint ; Cannell's Gem, 

 orange red ; Cannell's 

 Scarlet ; Constance, white ; 

 Countess of Pembroke, soft 

 lilac ; Glare of the Garden, scarlet, very brilliant in the 

 garden, as the name suggests; Mrs. Hawkins, soft sulphur 

 yellow, flushed with pink; and the yellow A. W. Tait. 



Pompon Djhlias are delightful flowers, double, and 

 beautifully shaped, and appear with great freedom. The 

 following varieties are of great merit : Arthur West, 

 crimson ; Bacchus, also of a crimson shade ; Darkness, 

 almost black, so intense is the colour ; E. F. Jungker, 

 very soft yellow ; Eurydice, pink, touched with purple ; 

 Fairy Tales, primrose ; Isabel, orange scarlet ; Janet, 

 salmon ; Nerissa, rose ; Phoebe, orange ; Whisper, yellow 

 and bronze ; Vivid, orange scarlet ; and White Aster, 

 pure white. 



Single Dahlias need no description, and there are 

 three divisions, so to say — the self, or shaded flowers ; 

 fancy, in which the colouring is distributed in 

 stripes and blotches ; and the Cactus. Of the selfs, 

 choose Amos Perry, deep maroon, a pretty, velvety 

 flower ; Annie Hughes, rosy shade, with the base of the 

 florets yellow ; Demon, maroon, almost black ; Kitty, 

 white, touched with a pleasing mauve colour at the 

 upper part of the florets; Marion Hood, pink, a clear, 

 good colour; and Miss Roberts, yellow. Of the fancy, 



