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CULTURE OF THE DAHLIA FOR EXHIBITIOX. 
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March, wlieii all danger from severe frost is past. This will of course vary -with the season and 
locality ; in many parts of the country the first week in April will he found early enough. The knife 
must be used sparingly ; they require little or no shortening ; to cut out all dead wood, and regulate 
the branches, will in general be found siilBcicnc. 
As the summer progresses water with liquid manm-e occasionally, say twice a-week, and continue 
when necessary through the summer. The liquid manure must not be over strong, for, being delicate 
growers, they cannot digest the coarse food which the strong -growing hybrid Perpetual and other 
Roses are capable of taking up. Tlu'ough the summer all decaying flowers should be continually 
removed, and, where they bloom in clusters, cut back to the next bud, from wluch they will break 
and bloom again in the autumn. Any strong shoots which it is perceived are not likely to bloom, 
should have their extreme points pinched off, on attaining the length of five or six inches ; the laterals 
from these will bloom fi'eely. By a little attention in this way this charming class of Roses will 
bloom profusely through the summer and autumn, and well do they merit this care. Dm'ing winter 
keep the beds as diy as possible ; and if trouble were taken to protect them from all the wet of 
winter, they would flourish much better from being kept comparatively diy. A slight protection will 
be found useful tlii-ough winter and early spring, pavticalarly for Nos. 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, and 14 ; 
the others will not requii'e it. To attempt to give any directions for contrasting theii' colour's wUl, I 
think, be unnecessary, as much would of course depend on the descrijition of beds, the number of 
of plants, &c. This point gardeners and amateurs wiU easily work out for themselves. 
The pot culture of these Roses is extremely simple ; — proenre a collection, say in spring, give them 
a moderate shift, using good turfy loam, and rotten cow-dung ; grow them through the summer in a 
frame, pit, or any structure by which they can be protected from heavy rain ; water occasionally with 
liquid manm-e, not too strong ; pinch off all flower buds as they appear, and the points of all shoots 
when about foui' inches long; give another shift in the course of the summer. Proceeding in this 
way, we shall have nice bushy little plants by September, at which time they may be shifted into their 
blooming pots, which with this class of Roses must not be over large. Use the same simple compost 
as afready recommended, drain well, and neatly •tie down the branches, as is generally done with 
Geraniums ; keep them in a cool well ventilated pit or house thi-ough the winter, giving very little 
water. I have been in the habit of keeping them pretty dry. On the return of spring commence 
with a little liquid manm-e, which may be increased as the plants progress and summer approaches. 
Pay the same, or a little more exact attention as recommended for out-door culture, and beautiful 
little specimens will be the result. 
CULTURE OF THE DAHLIA FOR EXHIBITION. 
By Mr. T. Barnes, Dane Croft Nurseries, Stowmarxet. 
WIHE plants intended to be grovra for exhibition should be short-jointed, stout, and healthy. To 
Ix obtain them of this description they should be raised fi-om cuttings taken off in April, and struck 
in a gentle hot-bed or forcing-house — the first is preferable. As soon as rooted, they must be repotted 
into pots about five inches in diameter, placed again in gentle heat, and allowed plenty of air. 
Cuttings struck at this time ai-e more healthy than those rooted at an earlier period, and are con- 
sequently better adapted to the pm-pose. In a week from the time they were potted they should have 
a watering of liquid manure, made from g-uano and powdered charcoal ; this will be found of great 
service, and should be repeated before the planting out. If any symptoms of green fly occm-, the 
plants should be famigated with tobacco. 
My plants are generally subjected to this trea,tment, and by watering them in the evenings with 
clear water, they are kept in a healthy gro^^'ing state till the season of planting out. This operation 
should not take place before the twentieth of May, nor later than the fifth of June. My mode of 
planting may be described thus : — The plot of ground is marked into beds three feet wide, with in- 
tervening paths three feet also ; about fom- inches of the soil from the beds is thrown on the paths ; 
tliis raises them something like six or eight inches above the beds, the beds are then well dressed with 
rotten manm-e, say to the thickness of fom- inches; they are then deeply and thoroughly dug; the 
stakes are put down secm-e at the distance of sis feet apart, and the planting commences, followed 
by tying and watering. From the moment the plants are put out a diligent search must be made for 
slugs, earwigs, and other pests. As the lateral shoots require support, they must be tied out, and the 
plants must be kept watered, and the soil stfrred once in two or thi-ee weeks as may be required. 
The plants being thus situated, no water that is given them can escape ; basins around the plants are ^ 
avoided, as is also the practice of mulching — a practice always attended with more injm-y than be- j^j. 
