304 The Dahlia. 
splashes or blotches, or indefinite marks of any kind; and new 
flowers, unless they beat all the old ones of the same color, or are 
a novel color themselves, with a majority of the points of excel- 
lence, should be rejected. 
If the petals show the under side too much, even when looked 
at sideways — if they do not cover each other well — if the center 
is composed of petals pointed upwards, or those which are around 
the center are confused — if the petals are too deep and funnel- 
like — if the petals are too narrow, or exhibit too much of their 
leno"th — or if they show any of the green scale at the bottoms of 
the petals — if the eye is sunk — if the shoulder is too high, the 
face flat, or the sides too upright — if the petals show an indenture, 
as if heart-shaped — if the petals are too large and coarse, or are 
flimsy, or do not hold their form — in any or all of these cases the 
flowers are objectionable; and if there be one or two of these 
faults conspicuous, the flower is second or third rate. 
If flowers are exhibited which show the disc, or a green scale, 
or have been eaten by vermin, or damaged by carriage, or are 
evidently decayed, the censors should reject them at once. 
PROPAGATION. 
There are several modes of increasing the Dahlia. For an 
amateur, who does not require many plants from each tuber, it 
will be enough to put the tubers in a warm stove, or in a slight 
hot-bed, without planting or potting them, and sprinkle them 
occasionally with water; this will cause the eyes to start. 
The tubers may then be separated into as many pieces as there 
are eyes, each eye having a portion of tuber to it. There is no 
necessity for a large piece of tuber; it may be cut so as to go into 
a moderate sized pot, and be grown in the hot-bed stove, or even 
green-house; but the season at which they are separated must be 
selected according to the convenience. If there be no hot-house, 
nor green house, nor hot-bed, the roots may be kept in a basket 
near the kitchen fire, and there be sprinkled occasionally, until 
they are separated which cannot be done with advantage until 
the eyes have all fairly started. This plan will generally produce 
as much increase as an amateur requires. Where there is no con- 
venience for potting, plant them at once in the ground, with the 
crowns six inches below the surface. Those who desire a larger 
increase should pot them, and as the shoots get two inches long, 
carefully break them out, by pressing them backwards and for- 
wards near the bottom ; place them one each in thumb-pots, and 
put them in a hot-bed to strike, which if kept moist, they will do 
in a few days, and continue doing this until there are enough 
plants; but if a large number be required, let the shoots all grow 
three inches long, and with a sharp knife cut them off" just under 
the lower pair of leaves, which will cause numerous other shoots 
