The Method of Propagating choice Dahlias. 477 



when obtained, select a good tuber of a single sort, taking 

 especial care that it has no eyes ; with a sharp knife (for a 

 dull edge would mangle the fleshy root, make it jagged, and 

 so prevent a complete adhesion), cut off a slice from the 

 upper part of the root, making at the bottom of the part so 

 cut, a ledge whereon to rest the graft ; this is recommended, 

 because you cannot tongue the graft as you do a wood 

 shool, and the ledge is useful in keeping the cutting fixed in 

 its place while you tie it ; next cut the scion sloping, to fit, 

 and cut it so that a joint may be at the bottom of it, to rest 

 on the aforesaid ledge ; a union may be effected without the 

 ledge, provided the graft can be well fixed to the tuber, but 

 the work will not then be so neat. It is of advantage, 

 though not absolutely necessary, that a joint should be at 

 the end of the scion, for the scion will occasionally put forth 

 new roots from that lower joint; the stem is formed from the 

 upper joint. I therefore procure the cuttings with the two 

 lower joints as near together as possible. After the graft 

 has been tied, a piece of fine clay, such as is used for 

 common grafting, must be placed round it : then pot the 

 root in fine mould, in a pot of such a size as will bury the 

 graft half way in the mould ; place the pot on a little heat in 

 the front of a Cucumber or Melon frame, if you chance to 

 have one in work at the time; I prefer the front, for the 

 greater convenience of shading and watering which are re- 

 quired. A striking glass may be put over the graft, or not, 

 as you please. In about three weeks the root should be 

 shifted into a larger pot, if it be too soon to plant it in the 

 border, which will probably be the case ; for supposing the 

 work was begun in March, the plant cannot go out till the 



