For March, 1921 



505 



sources, figured three Dahlias under the Aztec names, 

 Acocotli, Cocoxochitl and Acocoxochitl, all of which are 

 derived from Cucotli, signifying a hollow-stemmed plant. 

 Two of the figures of Hernandez represent types now 

 called duplex, and a third represents flowers of what are 

 now called the Peony-flowered type. The author states 

 that many more forms occur in Mexico, differing in size 

 and color and in the shape of the flower. 



At a later date, in Europe, the Dahlia was called 

 "Georgiana," after Professor George, of St. Petersburg, 

 which name is still used in some of the foreign catalogs. 

 This name was later changed to Dahlia, after Mr. Andrew 

 Dahl, a Swedish botanist, and pupil of Linnaeus. 



Dahlia Juarezi, the first of the cactus form was dis- 

 covered in 1872-. 



Dahlia Tubers were used as food in Mexico and were 

 first sent to Europe, with the idea that the tubers, under 



Ada Finch, a new type. Narcissus flowered, outer rows of petals 

 pure white with pale yellow center. Charles H. Tolty Company. 



cultivation, would be useful as food, but as neither man 

 nor cattle relished them, horticulturists turned their at- 

 tention to the flowers. Recently it has been discovered 

 that Dahlia tubers contain a sugar valuable in medi- 

 cine, and attention is now being given to growing the 

 plant for this purpose. 



.\ tree form of the Dahlia has been found whose top, 

 like the stem of a tree, does not die down. What this 

 type will develop in the interest of floriculture, remains to 

 be seen. 



Dahlia.-; can 1)e successfully grown wherever potatoes 

 grow and they are (|uite as easy to cultivate. .Always give 

 the Dahlia an open, sunny situation. They are particu- 

 larly adapted for use along the sea or lake shores on ac- 

 count of the heavy dews. As to the soil, they are not par- 

 ticular, sand, gravel, heavy or li.ght loam being suitalile. 

 Heavy soils tend to produce i)lants with an ;ibundance of 

 foliage and few or inferior blossoms. Where the soil is 



heavy, with a clay sub-soil, lighten it with sand or coal 

 ashes. 



In a Xew Jersey garden, where the soil was heavy clay, 

 I spread coal ashes, a foot deep, over the entire surface. 

 In turning the soil over, a garden fork was used, mixing 

 the ashes with the soil. This was heavilv fertilized with 



^^'^.. 



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Kuth Van Fleet, Hybrid Cactus, canary yelloiv flowers, si.r to 

 eight inches in diameter. George L. Stillman. 



stable manure once. After the first year, rotted leaves 

 were applied heavily every Spring, and lime spread, and 

 the soil was excellent, not only for Dahlias but also for 

 other flowering plants and vegetables. 



^Manure from the horse or cow stable, spread broadcast, 

 makes good fertilizer, and chicken manure is also good ; 

 also, any commercial fertilizer rich in nitrogen, potash 

 and phosphoric acid. 



Emily D. Remvick, Decoratiir, rose luith a golden sheen at base 

 of petals. Mrs. Charles H. Stout. 



