W4 



THE GUIDE TO NATURE. 



DAHLIA SEEDLINGS. 

 Showing eight weeks" growth from the seed. 



Also the ground near them should 

 be stirred up at least once a day. The 

 stirring" up of the soil is worth more 

 to dahlias than tons of fertilizer or 

 manure. The feeding roots of a dahlia 

 are very near the surface and to give 

 them an opportunity to breathe in the 

 fresh air it is one of the greatest bene- 

 fits to the plants. 



If there is more than one shoot 

 appearing above the ground, from one 

 root, the weaker shoot should be cut 

 down below the surface. As soon as 

 the plant attains the height of one 

 foot its tender stalk should be care- 

 fully but loosely tied to the stake. 

 When the plant attains the height of 

 two feet, it is time to give it food. This 

 should be in the form of rotted stable 

 manure, placed in a circle around the 

 plant to the depth of full}' four inches. 



It creates a double benefit. It keeps 

 the surface cool and moist and feeds 

 the newly formed roots. 



From now on the plant makes rapid 

 progress and begins to branch. Xow 

 a word in regard to the shaping of the 

 plant. 



If a dwarf, bushy growth is desired 

 it is now time to prune. This is done « 

 very simply bv pinching the crown of" 1 



the plant back fully two inches. The 

 result will be that branches will 

 break from every joint of leaf and 

 soon you will have a very bushy and 

 dwarf growth. For general use this 

 is not recommended but allow the 

 plant to grow its natural way, but 

 when the branches appear in such 

 quantity as to completely cover every 

 available space of light it is essential 

 to cut out sufficient to allow sunlight 

 to strike through the plant at all 

 times. 



Whenever you prune, prune back to 

 the very joint. If you intend to grow 

 flowers for exhibition use, the pruning 

 is very distinct. 



When the plant has attained a 

 height of eighteen inches pinch back 

 the crown as directed before and when 

 new branches appear watch them care- 

 fully and do not allow any subsequent 

 branches to grow larger than to enable 

 you to cut them out. The branch 

 appearing from the main stem should 

 produce nothing more than one set of 

 leaves at each joint and at the very 

 end one or two flowers at the most. 



The feeding of the plants should 

 be begun immediately when the crown 

 is pinched, and just as soon as the 

 buds form the manure, which has been 

 placed on the ground previously, 

 should be removed and an application 

 of nitrate of soda dissolved in the fol- 

 lowing proportion : one oz. to five 

 gallons of water should be applied to 

 the plant in a circle measuring fully 



A TYPICAL CLUMP OF BULBS OF FIELD 

 GROWN DAHLIAS. 



