June 15, 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
485 
substance, perfectly free from indenture or point, stiff to hold their 
form ; they should cup a little, but not enough to show the under 
surface ; they should be in regular rows, forming an outline of a perfect 
circle without any vacancy between them, and all in the circle should 
be the same size, uniformly open to the same shape, and not crumpled. 
2nd, The flower should form two-thirds of a ball when looked at side¬ 
ways ; the rows of petals should rise one above another symmetrically ; 
every petal should cover the join of the two petals under it, what florists 
call imbricating, by which means the circular appearance is perfected 
throughout. 
3rd, The centre should be perfect; the unbloomed petals laying with 
the points towards the centre should form a button, and should be the 
highest part of the flower comple^ng the ball. 
4th, The colour should be dense, whatever it be, not as if it was a 
white dipped in colour but as if the whole flower was coloured through¬ 
out. Whether tipped or edged it must be free from splashes, blotches or 
indeflnite marks of any kind. If the petals show the under side too 
much, even when looked at sideways ; if they do not cover each other 
well; if the centre is composed of petals pointing upwards, or those which 
are round the centre are confused ; if the petals are too deep and funnel¬ 
like ; if the petals are too narrow or exhibit too much of their length, or 
if they show any of the green scale at the bottom of the petals ; if the 
eye is sunk, if the shoulder is too high, the face flat, or the sides too up¬ 
right ; 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 these cases the flowers are objectionable, and if there be one or two 
of these faults conspicuous the flower is second or third rate. 
After these notes as to what a good Show Dahlia should be we will 
now think about the cultivation of them, along with the later introduc¬ 
tion of the Pompon, Cactus and Decorative varieties. 
The first thing to consider is the preparation of the ground. A 
position should be chosen where they will have as much sun as possible, 
but sheltered from the rough winds. Some growers advise manuring in 
the autumn and turning up the soil, leaving it rough all the winter, so 
that the frosts will sweeten it by planting time, others prefer rough¬ 
ing up the ground in autumn and manuring in spring. I think the 
most economical way is to turn over the ground several times during 
the winter; by so doing the soil is thoroughly sweetened and the insects 
are more effectually destroyed, for if you only rough the ground up in 
autumn and leave it alone until spring the insect grubs know by instinct 
where they will be safe from harm, either by frost or birds, so they get 
into the soil deep enough to effect that purpose ; but if you disturb them 
by bringing them to the surface you clear the ground more effectually. 
In April mark out the positions for the plants, say 5 feet from row 
to row, and 6 feet between the plants, placing them diagonally so that 
each plant in one row will come half way between the plants in the 
next row. Dig holes about 24 inches in diameter, and as deep as the soil 
will allow, taking care not to turn up the hungry subsoil at the bottom. 
Put into each hole a couple of spadefuls of well decayed manure—if 
the soil is light or of a sandy nature use cow manure—thoroughly mix 
the manure and soil, and leave until planting time. This is how I treat 
mine, with the exception of the single and Pompon varieties ; these I 
plant without manure, as I believe manuring tends to make them gross 
in growth, giving deformed and seed eye blooms. Pompons should be 
as small as possible, but have the same form and properties of the 
Show Dahlias. Single Dahlias also lose their charm when grown as 
large as we often see them. I find a slight top-dressing towards the end 
of August, or when the plants have nearly exhausted the soil, is all that is 
necessary in the way of food. As a stimulant I use soot water occasionally. 
Now as to starting the tubers and preparing the plants. Some 
growers start their tubers as early as January, but those who only want 
a small collection will find the first week in March soon enough. The 
tubers can either be potted singly or planted several in a box. Place in 
a warm corner of the greenhouse, or if there is plenty of fresh manure 
a hotbed can be made, in fact almost any place will do to start them 
in, providing you can command a temperature of 50° to G0°. When 
the tubers have started some growers divide them and pot each piece 
singly, keeping only one or two eyes to each piece ; others take off the 
shoots when about 2 inches long, with a piece of the tuber attached, 
and put them singly in thumb pots or four or five round the edge of a 
5-inch pot, keep them close until they have rooted them, remove to 
cooler quarters, and grow them sturdily ; after they have propagated 
what stock they require they throw away the old tubers. I think it is 
preferable to select one or two strong shoots, and rub off all the others 
as they come, grow these on the old tuber, and if they get root-bound 
before planting time give them a shift into a size larger pot, keep them 
close to the glass, and as soon as weather will permit remove to a cold 
frame, and you will find that by the first or second week in June 
(which time is soon enough for planting out without protecting at 
night) you will have strong plants beginning to show bud in most cases, 
with plenty of roots to support them. They can be planted out and 
grown without a check, whilst plants from cuttings have to be grown 
in heat, which generally makes them weak and spindly, or if grown 
cooler they are very small at planting time in most cases, taking them 
until the end of July before they begin to show any sign of blooming. 
The Cactus varieties especially do best when grown on the old stools; 
such varieties as Juarezi and Charming Bride are very shy bloomers 
when grown from the cutting. 
(To be continued.) 
IRIS LORTETI. 
Blooms of this very distinct Iris were exhibited by Mr. C. G. Van 
Tubergen at the Temple Show this year, but it was not until more 
FIG. 88.—IRIS LORTETI. 
specimens were staged at the Drill Hall on Tuesday, June 6th, that the 
Floral Committee of the Royal Horticultural Society awarded a first- 
class certificate. From a sketch of a flower shown on the latter 
occasion the illustration (fig. 88) has been prepared. This pourtrays the 
size and the character of the bloom. The falls are broad, of a curious 
dark grey shade, covered with minute bright purplish brown spots. 
The standards are also large, whitish, faintly tinted with mauve, and 
veined rosy purple. It is a grand species, and will doubtless find its 
way into most collections. The flowers if not particularly showy are 
very quaint and interesting. 
