HISTORY OF THE DAHLIA.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVIII, Issue 26, 25 December 1912, Page 40

HISTORY OF THE DAHLIA.

HINTS ON ( I I.TIX ATION. >o:iiv inftrv-tiug fact* regarding tae history ami cult i\at ion of the dahlia were given in a juiper read by Mr. 1.. Lvnnit*. the well known nurseryman, at the last meeting of the Southland Horti cultural Society, and for the information of amateur growers we publish it in full. The dahlia, said Mr. Lennie, is a na live of Mexico, coining from the same count r\ as the p<»lato. to which family it also iH'lougs. It was found there in its wild state, growing high up in the moun tain* at an altitude of J.oooft. in very jsnuly soil. It wa* introduced into Europe in 1759. having been sent to Spain b\ the Dirvitor of the Mexico Botanic Gardens, ami in the same year wa* brought into England from Spain. b\ the Marchioness of Bute. It is named after Dahl, a Swedish botanist, and the original type < Dahlia Cowima 1 of this now numerous family was single, tall-growing, with poor foliage, and. like most wild types, very different from the cultivated form* growing in our gardens to dav. For manv years after its intro-

duction florists, thinking sandy soil was its natural l:«»m• . and gh ing the dahli '. this treatment, got such pour results that it was almost discarded, but in I*ls. < p f.<-h *tock In'ing again intro diiced from France, and leveiving ordinary jjarden treatment, the dahlia Fended so well t at it was again takeu - • growers, cultivatetl an 1 improve 1. till now we lave it in five di* tinct types, and every known colour hich is the colour wanting in the dahlia, and for which f »r many years a handsome prize wa* "pen to the : . . A i 2 wer* the dahlia is f autumn, and no garden van t - this f ••• flowering herbaceous plant. There is at least five distinct types commonly grown. - hich may either show or fancy: 2> cactus nam»- 3 after their resemblance tn the - - . ti. though owing to im pr*«vvinriit* in newer varietie* we have - very - h past the original formation of bloom, ami now instead of broad at j flat blooms, characteristic of ■ d«*vp tknver. with narrow thread-like - ■ g into t hi fl 4 .but now n uch grown and very ♦ fbciivv: 4 ]-*:n|M»ni. or bouquet dahlia. %ery small and neat, ami splendid for and ia—tly. the paeony *e<t’on. whi h * tall growing, gian: flowir?!. Ixdd. -ingle, and -emi-double. Cvtitivatinn can b*- divided into tw< kind-, the treatment of old roots and

the planting out of young plants, and briefly may l»e stated thus. Old roots should Ih« lifted early in November, if not dafte previously, and divided, planting back a good root with three or four strong growths or eyes. If left undivided the roots send up so many growths that overcrowding takes place, resulting in tall weak growths with poor blooms. X'oung plants should be planted four feet apart in single rows or in a bed four feet wide which will hold two rows. First drive in the stakes: then dig holes one foot deep and one foot square: place a spadeful of well-rotte<l manure in each hole: thoroughly mix soil and manure together: fill in the remaining soil, and plant the dahlias in this mixture and at the foot of the stakes, press the soil hard about the plant, ami tie to stakes. A- growth proceed* thin out the literal growths and disbud if show blooms ar* lequirod. XX'hen finally cut down with the frost in the autumn rmm»vv all dying foliage, cutting off six inches above the ground. See that the crowns are wel. covered by drawing soil over them and either protect with litter or. better still lift in May and plant the roots six inches Ix'low the surface, at the foot of a wall or some such dry place, where frost will not penetrate deep. At the bottom of a macrovarpa hedge, on the east side, is a verv good place. They van be left there till the following N<»veml»er. when they van be divided and replanted.