Cultivation of Dahlias.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 418, 9 November 1889, Page 6

Cultivation of Dahlias.

These beautiful flowers are so easily grown and cared for that we wonder often why they have not more attention paid them by amateurs, A sunny situation in any good garden soil is all the requirements to produce a wealth ot bloom from the beginning of August (corresponding to March and April in New Zealand) until frosts destroy them. The single varieties have of late years attracted more attention than the double, and florists have been loud in their praises to the almost entire neglect of their (in our estimation) far superior sisters. Both single and double kinds bloom profusely the first soason from the seed These should be planted in a shallow box of rich soil in March (October or November here), and kept in a light place at a temperature of about sixty degrees. The seed should nob be covered more than the eighth of an inch deep and the soil kept inoisb, but nob muddy. " They require from six to ten days to germinate, accoiding to the temperature. When the plant has four leaves besides the seed leaf they should be transplated to "small pots or boxes, where they will have plenty of room to grow until the weather is suitable to f-et them in the open border. This will be when all danger of frosts is over. There is no plant more grateful for hoe culture than the dahlia, and nothinprso greatly promotes its growth as frequent stirring of the foil. When the buds begin to appear, if the plant is very thrifty, there is usually a tendency to produce more buds than the strength of the root can support. To insure fine, well-developed bloom at least two thirds of these should be pinched o(F. When the shoots begin to start at the axil of the leaf allow only qne to remain at each alternate axil. By thus carefully pruning much larger" and earlier bloom is produced. When starting plants from tubers or old roots it is better bo separate them than to plant the whole cluster together. In doing this care should be taken thab each tuber has a piece of bhe old sbalk attached to it. Of course all in each bunch cannot be so provided — usually about four or five are as many a.= the stem will furnish with stalk room to sprout from. These pieces should be placed in a box of moist earth about April (October or November here) the Ist, and kept where there is no danger of the last freezing. When the ground is warm enough to plant them out they will be found to have sprouted nicely. Cover the .root about three inches deep and press firmly. They should all bo supported as they grow tall by a stout stake driven in the ground, to which tio the stems with strips of old calico. All seed vessels should be cut off as soon as the petals fall, except

those rocfuired for future!juse. ' JYhen f fche plants arc frostbitten cutTthem off within three or four inches of the ground and allow them to remain ten or fifteen days. They may then be dug up, dried off and put in a cellar in a box ot earth,. or ,buriied in the ground beyond the depth of freezing, and where water will not be likely to stand during winter. ' > * ' • .Our plan to keep them, and we have never known any lost by that plan, is to bury them w ith the Irish potatoes. 'Where they keep, the dahlia is safe. They are to be had in ali &hade 3 of pink, rose, 'scarlet, crimson, maroon, lilac, purp'e, yellow and whi'e, many kinds being tipped and striped with a contrasting colour. — " Rural Home.'