Dahlias. 123 



vitality of the plant in producing foliage instead of flowers. The 

 second method might be called the main trunk system. Only one 

 shoot is allowed to grow from a clump of roots, all the other 

 shoots being pinched off. This method, therefore, produces a 

 tree-like growth, instead of a bushy form like the first. However, 

 this system, which is the old-fashioned one, requires stakes and 

 tying, for such plants will droop and split and are badly broken 

 by high winds. 



The third method is the "single stem branching system" 

 which is successfully practiced by Mr. Lawrence K. Peacock 

 and described in his book, "The Dahlia," at page 24. It 

 is a most ingenious device for doing away with the unsightly 

 stakes, and has many incidental advantages. All the shoots but 

 one are removed, and this one is allowed to grow until two pairs 

 of leaves are above ground with a young and unexpanded growth 

 on the top. This undeveloped portion is pinched off, and four 

 young buds which are lurking in the axils of the two pairs of 

 opposite leaves are ver}^ much rejoiced. Some or all of them 

 will now grow out into long branches. Let us suppose that all 

 four of them grow equally. The plant will then have a very 

 short, thick and strong single stem which comes up only an inch 

 or two above ground and then gives place to four long branches. 

 These branches are strong enough to hold themselves up without 

 stakes and they can endure heavy winds. Indeed, a still greater 

 division of labor is desirable, and each of these growing branches 

 should have its terminal growth pinched out at the same early 

 stage already indicated, viz., when only two pairs of leaves are 

 fully dev^eloped. Practically, however, plants do not grow in this 

 mathematical way, for one of the two buds waiting for a 

 chance, usually gets the start of his fellow and soon outclasses 

 him. The practical thing to do is to keep the plants from making 

 a main trunk. The object is to have the plants branch at the 

 surface of the ground, and the pinching must be done as early 

 in the season as possible. It is a common belief among gardeners 

 that late pinching makes short-stemmed flowers, and early pinch- 

 ing gives the long stems so much desired. This system therefore, 

 means work and watchfulness, but it causes less trouble than 

 staking and tying. 



It is best not to take up the dahlia roots for at least a week 



