THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 
97 
THE DAHLIA. 
EGARDED from the florist’s point of view, the Dahlia is 
one of the grandest flowers of the garden, and in rank 
must be placed second only to the rose. When required 
to form the background of a plantation, intermixed 
with hollyhocks, aconites, and other tall-growing plants, 
it is only necessary to put out in the common soil roots that have 
been stored in sand the first week in May, or wait until the first 
week in June, and then put out young plants that have been care, 
fully hardened in a frame. The bouquet dahlias are especially 
valuable for the mixed border, because their comparatively small 
flowers are produced in great profusion, and they are more useful as 
cut-flowers than those of the exhibition class. When the frost has 
cut down the plants, the roots should be taken up with a few inehes 
of the stem attached as a handle, and be stored away in sand in a 
loft or some other cool dry place. To grow the dahlia with a view 
to the production of fine flowers, something more must be done than 
this rude code requires. The roots are started into growth on a hot- 
bed or over a tank in a warm greenhouse in March, and if a large 
stock is required, the shoots are taken off and struck in heat as fast 
as they can be obtained. But if only a few good plants are wanted, 
the first lot of shoots are broken off and thrown away, and the 
second lot are struck; these making better plants than the first. 
They must be kept growing freely in the fashion of bedding plants, 
and be hardened off in like manner for planting out. The plantation 
should be made on a piece of ground that was prepared for the 
purpose in the previous November, by trenching and manuring. It 
should lie open to the south, but have the shelter of trees from the 
north. A shady or confined spot will not do. It is a common 
mistake to plant early in order to obtain extra growth and early 
flowers. Early planting is a needless exposure of the plants to a 
thousand baneful influences. The first week in June is the proper 
time to plant, hut some time in May, and the sooner the better, the 
plot should be planted with lettuces, and these should be constantly 
hunted for vermin. The proper way to plant is to open holes five 
feet apart, and dig in some good rotten manure to a depth of two 
feet. Then plant carefully, filling in round the plant with fine earth, 
and drive down a strong stake behind the plant about four inches 
distant from it. Finally drive in two shorter and lighter stakes in 
front of the plant, about eighteen inches distant from the stake in 
the rear, to form a triangle. As soon as the plant is tall enough tie 
it to the main stake, and pass the matting on either side of the plant 
to the stakes in front to form a sort of cage. The farther tying will 
be a very simple matter. In dry weather copious supplies of water 
must be given, and by the middle of July the roots should be 
mulched with good half-rotten manure. The earwig will now begin 
to make its mark on the plants, and must be trapped. For this 
purpose there is nothing to equal small flower-pots, each containing 
April. ^ 
