AFTER CULTURE. 
95 
as soon as you have done with the bloom, earth up the plants, in 
order that when the frost comes it may not reach the crown. 
Preserving the Roots. 
The plants may be raised without injury, immediately after the 
blooms are cut off by the frost, provided that they are hung up in a 
dry and ordinarily protected situation, with the roots uppermost, if care 
is taken to leave six or seven inches of the stem attached to each tuber; 
this may be done without the slightest fear of their withering from 
having been lifted in a green state. As the winter advances, and the 
tubers become matured and firm, the ordinary modes of protection 
against frost may be resorted to. 
Treatment vrhen Flowering. 
When the buds of your .Dahlias begin to appear, you must take 
them off until you think the plants have attained their full vigor, and 
then permit only every third bud to grow to maturity; by doing this, 
it is true, you will not have so numerous a show of flowers, but those 
which you have, will attain the highest state of perfection your plants 
are capable of; taking into account their situation and previous treat¬ 
ment, and, what is of paramount importance, the character of the 
season. In the treatment of flowers grown for exhibition at flower 
shows, it is a common practice to bind down the disk of the flower 
towards the earth, by which, it is said, the flowers are rendered more 
perfect in form, and richer in color. When in flower, the bloom should 
4De shaded from the sun, during the hottest parts of the day.- 
Striped Varieties .—The striped kinds have a tendency to “ run,” as 
it is termed, into self-colored flowers, if not carefully treated, and 
almost invariably do so when planted in rich sell; the best mode of 
keeping them “ clean,” that is, in their prime estate as striped flowers, 
is to plant them in poor soil. 
Autumnal and Winter Treatment. 
It is the practice with many persons to take up their Dahlia roots 
as soon as the shrubs are cut down by the frost; this is not desirable, 
because if the tubers are taken up before their vital powers are in a 
