March 10,1881. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 185 
10 th 
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Royal Society at 4.30 p.M. 
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Quekett Club at 8 r.M. 
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Royal Botanic Society at 3.45 r.M. 
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2ND SUNDAY IN LENT. 
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Royal Geographical Society at 8.30 r.M. 
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Society of Arts at 8 P.M. 
DAHLIAS AND THEIR CULTIVATION. 
HESE popular flowers are no longer restricted 
to the Show and Fancy varieties, but there are 
now so many different forms that growers 
may make selections for their several different 
purposes. The large Show varieties still hold 
their own for exhibition as heretofore, and 
when well grown are amongst the noblest of 
autumn flowers, lasting well in a cut state, but far too 
formal to be used as decorative flowers. To supply 
this want there is now a very large number of Bouquet 
or Pompon Dahlias, the various single varieties, and the latest 
introduction, the Cactus Dahlia (D. Juarezii), all of which during 
the autumn months have few equals. Cut as sprays with 
buds and leaves, and associated with other flowers, they are 
admirably suited for large vases. Gardeners as a rule have 
two important seasons with most plants—the seed time and 
harvest, or in other words, while plants are flowering is the 
time to make notes on their good or bad qualities, and mark 
selections for raising or increasing the plants when the proper 
time arrives. Dahlias, since the foliage was blackened in 
November by frost and the roots stored in their winter quarters, 
have been almost dormant, and now the period of the year has 
arrived to work upon the observations made when the plants 
were in bloom, and with this object these notes are contiibuted. 
Propagation. —The most common methods for increasing a 
stock is by dividing the roots and by cuttings ; by this means 
the same varieties are perpetuated. New varieties and many 
of the single kinds are raised from seed, and in some few 
cases grafting is practised. 
Division of the Roots— This consists of dividing the root 
from the crowns or stems downwards, taking care to have one 
or more eyes to each division. Pot each piece or division in 
light sandy soil, and place them in a shady temperature, where 
they will break and make strong plants by planting-out time. 
This is a very old and simple plan, and if only a small quantity 
of each variety is needed is very safe. 
Cuttings .—For all ordinary purposes the first or second week 
in March is the most suitable time to place the tubers in a 
warm situation to start. If the collection be small they may 
be placed closely together in boxes, seed pans, or large pots, 
covering the roots with light leafy soil or cocoa-nut fibre 
refuse, placing them in a temperature of 65°; but for larger 
collections a gentle hotbed or the side stages of a stove or 
vinery may be employed. The young shoots usually appear 
soon ; three, four, or more rising up from near the stem of the 
old plant. These when about 2 inches in length may be taken 
off with a sharp knife close to the old tuber, inserting each 
cutting singly in small pots filled with leaf soil and silver sand. 
Plunge these pots in a strong bottom heat in the propagating 
house or hotbed, keeping the soil moist until the cuttings are 
rooted, which will usually take from two to three weeks. 
When rooted gradually harden them, and give them a shift 
into larger pots and richer soil. When well established in the 
latter pots remove them to a cold frame until the weather is 
favourable for planting them out in their summer quarters. 
Cuttings treated in this way are usually sturdy by planting 
time, and afterwards the plants grow rapidly and flower very 
freely during the early autumn. 
Seeds .—Since the single varieties are growing more in favour 
with the public this method of raising a collection has much 
to recommend it. Sow very thinly in shallow seed pans, 
placing them in a hotbed with a temperature from 60° to 70°. 
In that the seed will soon germinate, and the plants will 
require timely potting-off and hardening similar to that re¬ 
commended above for cuttings. We know an amateur who 
has for many years thus treated the Dahlia as an annual, and 
he has been very successful. Some of his varieties have, 
indeed, been almost suitable for exhibition. When the plants 
are grown solely for home decoration and no convenience 
exists for storing the roots, the plan alluded to is worthy of 
a trial. 
Outdoor Cultivation. —All Dahlias are very strong-rooting, 
and to obtain plenty of flowers the plants must be well sup¬ 
plied with stimulants. A very good practice is to mark out 
the places allotted to them. Four feet apart is a fair distance, 
placing a strong stick at each spot, and removing the ordinary 
soil in front of it, replacing with a richer compost of loam 
and manure. Tie them loosely to the stakes at once, or the 
wind will snap the young heavy growths. The end of May or 
early in June is about the most favourable time for planting, 
but when planted in masses much taste accompanied with a 
knowledge of the varieties with regard to colour and height are 
needed to keep the tallest either at the back or centre of the 
mass or bed. In some catalogues their relative heights and 
descriptions can be obtained ; but we may here observe that 
most of the Show varieties are the strongest-growing plants, 
usually from 4 to 5 feet in height. Many of the single 
varieties are tall, while the Bouquet varieties or Pompons are 
more slender and dwarf. The bedding varieties are usually 
the shortest, so that in planting the bedding and Bouquet 
varieties should always form the two outer rows. When the 
plants have started into strong growth cover the surface of 
the soil around each plant with a mulch of stable manure. 
This will protect the roots during drought. In Dahlia-growing 
tying is a most important operation ; it is imperative that the 
plants be timely secured, and a constant watch afterwards 
kept that the ligatures' do not become too tight for the rapidly 
increasing gi'owths. 
Insects. —Growers of these flowers have several pests to 
contend against. Slugs are very destructive to young plants ; 
a dusting of lime over the plants -when moist with dew, or a 
little placed around the stem, is a good preventive of then- 
attacks. Earwigs and thrips are both troublesome and destruc¬ 
tive to the flowers, specially during dry hot summers. Earwigs 
are trapped by placing small inverted pots partially filled with 
hay or moss on the stakes, or the stalks of Broad Beans cut 
from 6 to 10 inches in length, and placed in various positions 
No . 37.— Yol. IX., Third series. 
No. 1693 .—'Vol. LXV., Old Series. 
