General Management

The Dahlia delights in rich and abundant feeding, coupled with a bed of deep rather light soil, properly drained. Rotten old turf is the best of soils for the Dahlia, adding, of course, a sufficiency of manure to make it rich. The ground should be well trenched in autumn, and thrown up into rough ridges, so that frost may act upon it. In April have the ground forked over again, after overspreading its surface with a light covering of well-reduced cow-manure. Divide the allotted ground into beds of 4 or 5 feet, with a narrow path between each bed. In the last week of May, or early in June, plant about 5 feet apart along the centre of each bed, and be careful to preserve the balls entire in planting. After planting, give each plant a good watering, which should be repeated twice a-week afterwards should dry weather succeed the planting. Syringe overhead in the evening after dry hot days; support each leader by an upright neat stake, and tie as the shoot advances; and subsequently, when side branches are produced, select four of the strongest that are at convenient distances from each other to form a uniform plant; put a stout stake to each of these, and cut the remaining shoots away.

When superior flowers are the object, pinch out all the lateral shoots which appear on the permanent growths, and thin the flower-buds less or more, according to the habit of the variety: some are more rampant than others in their growth, and more prolific in flowers, and they should be thinned accordingly. As soon as summer heat sets in, all the beds should be covered to the depth of 3 or 4 inches with rich cow-manure; and should this be offensive to the eye, cover it with a little soil. As the flowers advance in size and formation, let the plants have plenty of moderately strong liquid manure once a-week. When flowers are wanted for exhibition, it is scarcely necessary to say anything about the essential shades to protect them from sun, rain, and wind. Nothing is better than an inverted flower-pot placed over the flower on the sliding piece of board which acts as a table or support for the chosen flowers.

Earwigs are the devouring pest of the Dahlia, and many are the schemes adopted for their destruction. Nothing is better than scattering pieces of the stalks of Beans or Hemlock around the plants. This, and inverting small pots with a little dry moss in them over the points of the stakes, allure the enemy: these traps ought to be examined each morning. The hunter should be provided with a pail of hot water, into which to blow the earwigs out of the tubes, and drop them out of the pots. By this means these insects may be kept under in gardens generally, although, where the ground is wholly sand, there they may be found in tens of thousands, hanging about the walls, resembling hives of bees broken into detachments. Of course, it would be useless to attempt the culture of Dahlias -where strong plants of Verbenas disappear in a night.

Preparing For And Protecting The Roots During Winter

When frost has cut down the plants, they should at once be cut over within a few inches of the ground. Have all their names secured to the stem by means of wire, and then take them carefully up with a fork, preserving their roots entire; place them closely together - stems downward - in baskets, so that the tubers may be well exposed to dry in the sun. This will also assist the escape of any juice issuing from the cut in the stem. In a few days the roots may be stored away where frost or damp cannot reach them, and all the attention they require in winter is to prevent mould getting a footing, and removing decayed roots. Nothing is more effectual in removing mould than to brush them over, giving plenty of fresh air at the time to carry away all damp.

What we have next to consider is a select list of the various classes, taking first the:

Show Flowers

Anne Keynes - a grand full flower, colour white, richly tipped lilac. Andrew Dodds - most acceptable for its colour, being deep dark maroon, with a velvety crimson glow; excellent. Alexandra - white, beautifully touched on the points of the petals with lavender; constant and fine. Aristides - very rich deep crimson. Bullion - golden yellow; splendid. Rob Ridley - glowing red; splendid form. Buttercup - brilliant yellow, excellent outline, immense size. Criterion - rose, shaded with pale lavender; a splendid full-sized flower. Charles Backhouse - when once seen cannot be mistaken; though not one of the largest, it is one of the finest both as regards form and colour, being a dazzling scarlet: should be in every collection. Fann Purchase - is quite perfection in its way; the best yellow extant, both in symmetry and in petal. George Wheeler - lilac, suffused with light purple. Golden Drop - yellow; old, but still keeps its standing. Gipsy King - brownish chocolate; distinct and fine. Lord Napier - purple. Leath - another exquisite flower; ground deep yellow, the petals tipped rose. Lord Derby - splendid self; colour rich dark rose.

Mrs Turner - old, but good; white, richly tipped faint rose, at times more boldly than others.

Mrs Coleman - white, laced with strong crimson, very distinct. Princess of Wales - blush and lilac; fine. Scarlet Gem - a good large scarlet flower, of fine symmetry. Sunshine - yellow, shaded red on the tips of the petals, spots of the same occurring here and there. Valentine - white, edged with deep purple. Willie Astin - pale amber; the finest of its order. The following selfs are quite A 1: Memorial - rose; Lord Napier - purple; Purple King; Gazelle - fawn colour. High Sheriff is said to be the darkest flower grown.

Fancy Varieties

Attraction - ground white, mottled and striped purple. Butterfly - rosy scarlet, touched with orange; distinct and beautiful. Billy Button - buff, heavily striped maroon. Stafford Gem - warm soft crimson, distinctly tipped yellow; fine. Miss Joy - deep yellow ground, tipped with white. Mdlle. Nilsson - white, stamped deep rose on the tips of the petals. Octoroon - strangely shaded with purple, striped white; first-rate. Polly Perkins - pale buff, faintly tipped with white; a good sort. Model - a handsome variety, very constant; colour creamy white, striped with deep red. Prince of Wales - light yellow, delicately striped; fine. Queen Mab - dark red, tipped with white; very constant in character. Reliance - violet rose, striped maroon. Startler - exceedingly dark, tipped with white; excellent. Sparkler - ground white, densely tipped purple. Jean Sealey (new) - deep lilac, striped purple. Richard Dean (new) - yellow striped, deep crimson; fine flower. Flora Wyatt (new) - first in quality; colour deep yellow-, streaked red.

New Selfs, Or Show Flowers

Alice - peach, suffused lilac; very pretty. Andromeda - yellow, veined, and tipped with bright red; novel. Harvard - delicate pink, of exquisite petal and shape, great depth; fine habit and constant. M'Mahon - pale ground, heavily tipped and suffused rich purple. Monarch - buff, mottled and striped dull crimson; large and fine. Acme of Perfection - certainly one of the finest yellow flowers extant, whether for form or colour. Bishop of Durham - faint salmon colour, neat, of moderate size; fine. Earl of Radnor - deep plum, glowing colour; a distinct pure self. Incomparable - a charming flower; ground yellow, tipped with deep crimson. George Peabody - distinct and good; maroon, tipped with brick red. A. Kerr.