THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 
335 
but in removing it from a moist, warm, close situation, to a cool, 
dry, airv one. Some management will be necessary to prevent the 
leaves getting discoloured, or the plant sustaining a check. After 
blooming, place the plants in a house where the temperature may 
ranee rather high, to ripen up the wood, before placing them in 
their winter quarters ; or in the case of plants that flower early, 
they may be allowed a short season of rest, then repotted, pruned 
back, etc., and be placed in bottom-heat and induced to make 
growth before winter ; plants so treated must not be placed in low 
temperature during the winter, as this would discolour the foliage, 
and probably injure the roots and wood, but should be wintered in 
a li'j-ht house, where the temperature may range from 55° to 60°, 
and be very carefully watered ; specimens managed in this way will 
be ready to burst into bloom at any time in spring; they maybe 
placed in a warm, moist temperature. Dipladenia is not a favourite 
with iusects, and with a properly moist atmosphere it will hardly 
suffer from any pest except black thrips, which may probably attack 
it, and if so, should be eradicated by frequent doses of tobacco- 
smoke. The best soil for this lovely plant is good, rich, turfy peat, 
and light sandy turfy loam, in the proportion of about two-thirds 
of the former to one-third of the latter. To this add a very liberal 
llowance of clean, sharp sand, say one-fourth of the whole, and a 
quantity of clean potsherds broken small, and well mix the whole 
together. The soil should be ready mixed, and before using it 
placed where it will acquire about the same temperature as that of 
the ball of the plant to be shifted, and it should be in a proper state 
as regards moisture. 
PRESERVATION OF DAHLIA ROOTS. 
J1Y Alt AMATEUR. 
OTS should be taken up if not done already, and 
stored away until the time for starting them arrives. 
Flowers, however valuable, are apt to be neglected when 
their beauty is over, and cold, dreary, autumnal days 
induce the amateur gardener to remain indoors ; this is 
particularly the case with Dahlias, which are allowed to remain very 
late before any care is bestowed upon them. They thus become the 
victims of hoar frosts, which injure the crowns, and prevent them 
shooting in the spring. In October the crowns should be protected, 
either by hoeing the soil rouud the stems or placing litter about 
them. Before the flowers are all faded, the names should be exa- 
mined, for sometimes damp obliterates them, or the tally may be 
lost. It is vexatious to find, on taking up a root, that no name is 
attached to it ; obliging you either to throw it away, or run the 
risk of carefully tending a variety not worth growing or having more 
of one sort than you wish to grow next year. An inspection of the 
November. 
