270 
THE FLORISTS JOURNAL. 
to be weakened, soddened, or even rotted by the moisture ; should 
they escape these’ casualties, the flowers gradually deteriorate, 
becoming smaller in size, and inferior in colour, till they ulti¬ 
mately degenerate to their natural state, with only a single whorl 
of petals. They do this more rapidly in proportion as the soil is 
less fitted to them ; but they do it in all soils, and the same is the 
case with bulbous roots which are natives of climates which are 
more warm and dry in winter than that of Britain. With these 
bulbs, as well as with Dahlias, our winter is a sort of Scylla and 
Charybdis, or, more frequently, an alternation of both ; for both 
the frost and the rain destroy the roots, and the destruction is in¬ 
creased when they alternate with each other. It is for this reason 
that Dahlias should be taken up as soon as the roots have 
ripened, which is always a little later than the natural dying down 
at the stems ; and if the stems are destroyed by a premature 
frost, they should be cut down, and the ground covered for some 
time with light and flocculent matter, until the roots are fully 
ripened ; for if they are unripe, they are apt to shrivel, and do not 
grow well in spring. 
Some observations on the propagation and culture of Dahlias 
have appeared in former numbers of the “ Florist’s Journal,” so 
that we need not repeat them here ; but the general remarks 
which we have made on their native soil and climate, and the soil 
which suits best in this country, may be found useful, especially 
to those who have little knowledge of the geography of flowers. 
Indeed, the finding of a proper soil is one of the most important 
matters in Dahlia cultivation ; for if that is obtained, the growth 
of the plants is so free, as scarcely to require any attention. 
When the roots are ripe, they should be taken up, and not dried 
too rapidly-at the first; but care should be taken that they are 
not in a place so moist as to mould or rot them, or so warm as to 
start them into premature action, unless they are to be brought 
forward in shelter and by artificial heat. This is the best way to 
obtain fine plants ; as cuttings of these early growing ones, if 
carefully struck, and protected until all chance of frost is over, 
yield superior blooms the same autumn, to young plants ob¬ 
tained in any other way. There is not, however, one Dahlia 
grower out of every hundred, who has the means of doing this; 
and all who have not must attend to the outdoor culture. In 
this, it is advisable, as we have said, to take care that the roots are 
