THE GARDENERS’ MAGAZINE. 
277 
saEcr POMPON dahlias. 
.1. .ut tlit'M? adiglitfiil little 
* ‘ ! not <-oiifroiitea on taking 
V-i) the task of differentiating 
^ - that are l)est suited for 
' 11 of attraetive colour effects 
' J. Ti. aiKi those which by reason 
colouring and perf^t 
. »l)Ie to render good service 
. \ V:tion stage. Why there is no 
, - arrange the pompon dahlip 
* >>!inot groujys can be stated in 
, > ,iml thest' should have the most 
ion from those who are in- 
development of the blooms or of a weakness 
of stem, it is simply owing to certain of 
the ooloiu's being less pleasing in rooms 
than others, the rose-coloured and purple 
shades, for example. In the garden and on 
the exhibition stage blooms of these colours 
are all right, but in the subdued light of the 
living-room they are dull and imattractive. 
To raise and prepare a stoc*k of plants is 
a very simple matter. Not taking an active 
part at competitive gatherings beyond as¬ 
sisting in the judging and discussing wdth 
my friends the relative merits of varieties 
new and old, there is not in my case any 
occasion to consider which of the methods 
Tire cut ends are dipped in lime, and the 
roots are stood in the boxes, without soil, 
for the cut ends to become dry. At the 
end of seven or eight days sufficient of the 
mixture mentioned is filled in about them 
to reach to the base of the stems. 
The first growth on each root is rubbed 
off wffien about an inch in length, and this 
check will cause other buds to shoot into 
grow^th. Later on; when the shoots are 
about tw'o inches in length, they are re¬ 
duced to two or three each by the removal 
of the most weakly. The next step is to put 
the roots into six-inch pots, using a com¬ 
post consisting of loam, well-decayed 
. ■ "'.l.K.lv pro 
St- 
suitable 
'* ^^^«>ratio 
^^luence of the in 
DECOEATIVE DAHLIA QUEEN MARY. 
Flowers bright pink. 
of propagation is the most conducive to the 
perfect development of the centre of the 
blooms. My practice has for many years 
past been to start the roots in shallow- 
boxes partly filled with a mixture of loam, 
leaf-mould, and sand, and the results have 
been so satisfactory as to render change 
unnecessary. The roots are taken out of 
the store early in March, and placed in a 
structure in which a temperature of about 
55 degrees is maintained. For convenience 
of potting later oiij the tubers are shor- 
tene<l to one-half their length wnth a sharp 
knife, the cut being made at right angles. 
manure, and coarse silver sand. They are 
kept ctee for a few- days, and then the 
ventilation is gradually increased to harden 
the new- grow^th. AVhen this has been ac- 
complishe<l, the dahlias are^remov^nl to an 
imheated frame, where they remain until 
bedded out. In the meantime, they receive 
free ventilation during the <lay and effi¬ 
cient protection from frost at night. 
Plants now growing in small pots will, if 
they are at once shifted into others five or 
six inches in diameter, a rich comjmst being 
used, be in splendid condition for beilding 
out five or six weeks hence. 
