330 
THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
flowers of neat formation. A useful type for massing in beds 
or small borders. Then come the single-flowered type, the 
modern varieties of which bear medium-sized blooms with broad 
petals closely arranged and of firm texture. These are much 
in request for supplying cut flowers for decorative purposes. 
There are also Pompon Cactus and Mignon types, particulars 
of which will be found in specialists’ catalogues. 
Dahlias may be grown in groups or singly in borders, or in 
special beds. For general garden decoration the first plan 
is preferable, but for yielding flowers for cutting or exhibition, 
then the second one is best. When to be grown in beds the 
soil ought to be prepared in winter by liberal manuring and 
deep digging. For ordinary border culture dig out holes aft. 
wide and ift. deep, and put in 6in. of rotten manure. Fork 
this well into the subsoil, then fill up the hole with soil. Should 
the soil be heavy, add some old vegetable refuse or burnt earth 
to it as you fill the hole. The holes should be 4ft. apart. 
Early in June plant the dahlias, leaving a saucer-like hollow 
around each plant. Place a 4ft. stake to each plant. When 
growth begins and side-shoots form, allow the four lowest ones 
to grow, but remove others that form above these. When the 
first bud on the main shoot forms, remove it, and allow three 
or four shoots to grow just below it. Your plant will then 
have eight shoots, sufficient to make a good bushy plant ana 
provide plenty of flowers. Three additional stakes should 
be added, triangular fashion, to each plant when the side- 
shoots get advanced in growth. If fine blooms are required 
the buds may be thinned out in an early stage, but thinning 
is really not needed for ordinary purposes. Feeding once or 
twice a week with liquid cow or sheep dung, or with an 
ounce of guano to each gallon of water, should commence 
when flower buds begin to form. A sharp look-out, more- 
over, must be kept for earwigs, slugs, caterpillars, etc. Trap 
the latter with inverted cots filled with dry moss and placed on 
the stakes. 
Dahlias may be readily increased by seeds sown in boxes, 
pans, or pots of light soil in a temperature of 55 to 65 
deg. in spring. When the seedlings have formed their first 
true leaf, transplant them singly into small pots and grow on 
a shelf near the glass. Harden off in cold frames late in May, 
and early in June plant out in the garden. Seedlings will not 
flower till late in September, when probably a large proportion 
of them will be of inferior quality. Mark those that are of 
a promising character for lifting and storing, and destroy 
the worthless ones. Also increased by cuttings 2 to 3m. long, 
removed with a heel or small portion of the old tuber attached 
to their base. Insert these singly in small pots of sandy soil 
