881 



Tin: ruACTicAL gardener. 



[Apr. 



plants have attained the heiglit of nine or twelve inches, which 

 will soon he the case, they are placed in a colder situation, 

 and so gradually hardened, that by the end of April or the 

 beginning of May, they are fit to plant out, where they are 

 to remain to flower. 



At this planting out, they are carefully turned out of the 

 pots, without disturbing their roots but as little as possible, and 

 planted into the natural ground. 



Dahlias will grow and prosper well in almost any soil, al- 

 though a light sandy loam or soft sandy soil that is not rich, 

 will produce the most handsome plants. In strong rich soils 

 they are apt to grow too rambling and gross, and in such cases 

 produce fewer flowers, and such flowers are much later in the 

 season of appearing. 



It is desirable to have the plants small, and to effect this, 

 some cultivators have succeeded by growing them in large 

 pots, boxes, and tubs ; others, to effect the same end, have 

 beaten the ground, while moist, round where the roots are 

 planted, so as to render it as solid as possible, and impe- 

 netrable to the roots ; others have adopted a species of train- 

 ing, which they commence when the plants are about two 

 feet high, by bending the shoots down to within three inches 

 of the ground, where they are held by hooked pegs ; and as 

 they advance in growth they are pegged down, so that when 

 in flower they may be of any height required. This is only 

 practicable where they are grown in clumps or masses, and 

 the shoots so managed that the bare stems may be covered as 

 much as possible. 



As the shoots of such as are allowed to grow upright ad- 

 vance, they should be carefully and regularly supported with 

 neat sticks, and fastened to them as they advance ; for their 

 gi'owth being rapid, and their whole frame tender, are liable 

 to be broken by wind, heavy rains, and many other accidents. 



PROPAGATING DAHLIAS. 



We may attribute the great variety of these plants, as well 

 as their appearing in almost every cottage garden, as much to 

 the facility of their propagation as to the real merits of their 



