146 On the Culture of the Dahlia. 
impregnate them, and retain the gauze b£^ over them for a week longer, 
I mark by a small tally, the flower I have operated upon. In collecting 
the seed in autumn, I only gather the two tiers ; the seeds from the out- 
side tiers are always the finest, and ripen the best. The use of the bag, 
is to prevent any impregnation from bees. When any flower is simi- 
double, I uniformly take them away ; so that I neither take farina from 
them, or save them for seed. 
The seed is sown about the first of February, and placed in a hot-bed 
frame ; when sufficiently strong for transplanting, the plants are removed 
into small pots, one in each pot, and kept in a green-house or cool frame. 
At the end of May, they are turned out entire, into a deep and rich soil. 
These flower abundantly by the end of July, and by being forwarded as 
stated, the roots become perfected by the autumn, so as to keep plump, 
through the winter. 
The method I pursue with old roots, is, to place them upon a moderate 
hot-bed, or in a mushroom-house, that has a little heat. I just cover 
the roots with some fine sifted rotten tanners bark ; in this they speedily 
push roots. I usually do this about the first week in February, which I 
consider quite early enough, as my plants get to two or three feet high 
by the period for planting in the open border. I have seen some per- 
sons push the roots as early as the beginning of January, but in conse- 
quence of such being deprived of sufficient air, which could not safely 
be given at so early a season, they were generally drawn up weakly, and 
seldom bloomed well. 
When the roots have pushed shoots about four or six inches long, I 
take them out of the bark; such roots as can be divided, now most rea- 
dily do so. If any of the roots push more shoots than one, and I wish 
to increase the sort, I cut off" each shoot, close to the old root ; these 
I insert in pots, filled with fine light sandy soil, placing them round 
the sides of the pots, and put them in a hot-bed frame, or, I set them off 
upon a hot-bed, covered with four inches of suitable soil ; in either case 
they will strike root in six or eight days. In cutting off" the shoots close 
to the old roots, I find they strike much much more freely than if cut 
crossways under a joint, in the upper part of the shoot ; althoxigh there is 
a possibility of their striking under that mode of treatment. When the 
cuttings have pushed roots, I pot each into a separate pot. The soil I 
use for potting my Dahlias in, is a light rich one. When the Dahlias 
are potted, whether old roots or cuttings, I place them in a peach-house 
or vinery, till they push to eight or ten inches long, when I have them 
removed to a very airy situation in the garden, and where I can have 
them protected if required. 
As soon as I judge danger from frost is over, which is seldom before 
the end of May, I turn the plants out entire, planting them in sheltered 
sunny situations. 
