Apr,] THE FLOWER GARDEN. 883 



the flower garden singly, or in gi'oups, in number and size 

 proportionate to the magnitude of the garden. In either case, 

 attention should be paid to a proper mixture of colours. Mr. 

 Sabine, in Hort. Trans, says, " Dahlias look best 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, accordingly as 

 it is designed to be viewed from one side only, or on all sides, 

 and to place the whole so that there shall be no unevenness 

 in the general shape of the entire mass, arising from the irre- 

 gular arrangement of the individual plants according to their 

 respective heights. The roots should be planted about three 

 feet from each other every way. This distance will keep each 

 sufficiently distinct, and yet so united, that the whole clump 

 will have the appearance of an unbroken wood or forest of 

 dahlias." He also admits that they may be planted in lines by 

 the sides of walks, for the purpose of forming avenues with a 

 good effect. 



Dahlias are impatient of much cold, and the first frosts of 

 autumn destroy them for a season, often while in their prime, 

 being natives of Mexico, whence they were introduced into 

 Europe in 1789. The first plants which were introduced 

 were lost, and in 1804 they were a second time imported by 

 Lady Holland, and first cultivated in her ladyship's garden at 

 Kensington. To obviate this, or rather to elongate their pe- 

 riod of flowering, has occupied the attention of gardeners for 

 some years. No doubt, soil and situation are favorable in 

 some instances, and their season of blooming will be from the 

 beginning of June till November ; but by far the more ge- 

 neral time of their flowering does not begin before the end of 

 July, and often the middle of August. 



Cultivators have justly endeavoured to bring them into flower 

 at as early a period as possible ; and this being once attained, 

 they will continue to flower till destroyed by the frost. For 

 this purpose, they plant the roots in large pots in March and 

 April, and place them in any hot-house at work, on the floor, 

 paths, or indeed almost in any situation of it. When the 



