242 Account of the Genus Dahlia. 



some if planted in the manner of an avenue, in a straight line, 

 on each side of a walk. The earliest flowers will appear in 

 June. 



In the spring, another opportunity will occur of increasing 

 by cuttings, the known varieties, which are then to be 

 planted out- It is expedient to retain only a single stem to 

 each plant, and as several shoots will often arise from one 

 root, all but one should be removed, and these will form 

 excellent plants, if treated in the manner before directed for 

 the cuttings from the seedlings ; they will blow in the same 

 season, but a little later than their parent roots, and as they 

 will be rather shorter, may be conveniently placed in front 

 of the older stock. Other cuttings besides these shoots from 

 the roots, will become blooming plants in the same season, if 

 taken off early. 



In general, an abundant supply of water to the roots is 

 not serviceable, it drives the plants into leaf and height, and 

 consequently retards, and even diminishes the flowering; 

 but in the last season of excessive heat and dryness, many 

 plants must have failed without watering, except where 

 they grew in particularly rich soil, or in moist situations. 

 Great heat seems more than usually unfavourable to the 

 flowers of these plants, for until the intensity of the warmth 

 of the past summer had abated scarce a single flower 

 of a Dahlia was seen; the buds, though fully formed, 

 did not open, but were abortive ; as soon, however, as the 

 weather became more temperate, the shew of flowers was 

 great. 



Some speculations have been made on the utility of the 

 roots as food ; Mons. Thouin suggested this in his Memoir, 



