By Joseph Sabine, Esq. 241 



roots only, should be covered over, exactly as if they were 

 planted. In the spring, the roots, if small, may be left as 

 they are ; or if large, they may be divided ; in the division, 

 each tuber which has a bud growing on it, will form a plant, 

 after the division has been made. 



The roots which have been preserved through the winter, 

 are to be put out when all danger of frost is over ; but previ- 

 ously to this, they must be potted and well attended to, in the 

 green-house, where they should be kept ; the object being, 

 to bring them as forward as possible, in order to obtain early 

 flowers, without forcing them ; if the shoots are at all drawn, 

 the plant will be unsightly, and the flowers will not be so full 

 and handsome as they ought to be. 



The plants to be thus put out in the spring, will be dis- 

 tributed on the borders, or into clumps, as may suit the 

 fancy of the cultivator ; they look best, however, in a large 

 mass unmixed with other plants; in this plan of growing 

 them, some nicety is required in the due distribution of the 

 sorts, so as to have a proper and good mixture of colours ; 

 and particular care is necessary to keep the tallest plants 

 either in the centre or at the back of the clump, according 

 as it is destined to be viewed, from one side only, or on 

 every point, and to place the whole so that there shall be no 

 unevenness in the general shape of the entire mass, arising 

 from the irregular arrangement of the individual plants, ac- 

 cording to their respective heights. The roots should be 

 planted about three feet from each other every way ; this dis- 

 tance will keep each sufficiently distinct, and yet so united 

 that the whole clump will have the appearance of an un- 

 broken wood or forest of Dahlias. They look very hand- 



