COLLECTIONS AND RECOLLECTIONS. 
317 
many new varieties to keep up my stock. T shall therefore throw 
out a few hints to the buyers of Dahlias, which to persons situated 
as T am may perhaps be of some service. When I receive a lot of 
new Dahlias, I examine them to see if any part of the old roots re¬ 
main. If they possess roots, I plant them, if not, I cut them off 
even with the pot. I then take the top and plant it as hereafter des¬ 
cribed. I cut the shoots off just below a joint, then take off the leaves 
in a line from («) to ( b) (Fig. 40,) then leave the eves untouched; 
hut if instead of taking them off from 40 
(«) t-o ( b ) you cut straight from (<n) 
to (<0> you then cut out the eyes, 
which are to produce shoots the fol¬ 
lowing year : this method is practised 
as I have found from experience. I 
purchased some Dahlias from a Lon¬ 
don nurseryman, very few of which 
grew the next year; and as I could not 
account for it, I applied to some of 
my neighbours who were precisely 
in the same predicament, and after 
many experiments they have found 
the cause to arise from the above 
method of cutting. T. K. Short. 
P. S. I will answer C. C. C. C. on cutting corn before it is quite 
ripe, for I have tried the system, unless some other of your corres¬ 
pondents save me the trouble. 
Effect of the Berberry on Wheat. —The maMgn effect of 
the Berberry (Berberris Vulgaris) on Wheat, when growing in the 
neighbouring hedges, is well known to botanists. The fact men¬ 
tioned by your correspondent Csecilius (page 120) is in perfect ac¬ 
cordance with the caution given under the head of berberry, in Dr. 
Willick’s Domestic Encyclopedia. It is to be hoped, that the atten¬ 
tion of farmers will be drawn to this subject, and I have no doubt 
that similar mischief may be traced to other plants. C. C. C. C. 
Oxalis Crenata, a Rival to the Potatoe. —This plant has 
been recently introduced into this country from Chili, and it is not 
improbable that it may shortly command the attention of the agri¬ 
culturist as a rival to the common potatoe. In April last, a small 
tuber of the root was planted by Mrs. Hirst, of Great Ropers, War- 
ley, Suffolk, and the roots were taken out of the ground on the 5th 
of this month. The habits of the plant being very little known, this 
lady first placed the tuber in a small pot, and then in the open 
