698 



GARDENERS' CHRONICLE 



The Modern Dahlia 



ROBERT J. EDGAR 



A GLANCE through magazines pertaining to the 

 garden will show that a large share of space is 

 given to advertising the dahlia in one or more of 

 its varied forms. Until five or six years ago the old 

 show type, or ball dahlia, might have been found rele- 

 gated to. the rear of some gardens and spare clumps of 

 tubers given to the neighbors ; but imagine any gardener 

 of this date who would give away a clump of the newer 

 ones when the prices range from fifty cents to ten dollars 

 a tuber, or in some cases a rooted cutting. 



There seems to be a constant demand for the better 

 varieties and dahlia shows are being featured in every 

 garden club and horticultural society programme. The 

 American Dahlia Society show will occupy the entire roof 

 of the Pennsylvania Hotel in New York for three days in 

 September this year ; the Dahlia Society of California will 

 at about the same time stage an exhibition in the Palace 

 Hotel, San Francisco, even 

 larger than the one in New 

 York. Quite a lot of promi- 

 nence for the lowly dahlia, 

 one will say who knows the 

 flower of old, but on being 

 better acquainted w i t h the 

 modem flower one can realize 

 what a glorious show it can 

 and does make. 



The flower grower has 

 found that he or she can have 

 flowers for good effect in the 

 garden, and for cutting, at 

 their best from about mid- 

 August until the first heavy 

 frost, generally mid-Octol>er ; 

 two months of bloom in the 

 East and a much longer period 

 in the South and on the Pa- 

 cific Coast, with a variety of 

 form and color not found in 

 any other flowering plant. 



Investment in good dahlia 

 tubers from a reliable grower 



is money well spent ; the clumps can be dug in the Fall 

 and when kept under proper conditions will produce at 

 least four or five good divisions for planting in the 

 Spring. Why waste time and space un mediocre var- 

 ieties when varieties of better color, form and habit can 

 be had for just a little larger initial investment? 



Culture. Soil of any kind that is well drained will 

 suit the dahlia, in either full sun or part shade ; a plot that 

 has been heavily fertilized is not the best, as the plant 

 wants to be kept just growing for its first two months, 

 and fertilized and well watered when it is in bud, about 

 mid-August. Many gardeners dig their dahlia beds 

 about spade depth and rake in about four to six inches 

 of sifted coal-ashes to make the soil porous, not that there 

 is any particular element in the ash, for gravel or sand 

 would answer the same pui-pose. From this we learn 

 that a rich soil is not required, in fact not desirable, as it 

 makes growth early in the season at the expense of bloom 

 later. 



Time to Plant. Dahlias may be planted at anv time 

 after frost i,■^ out of the ground; but when planted earlv 

 the stems are likely to get woody and the flowers smaller 

 later in the season. For this reason planting June 1st to 





Decorative Dahlia 



June 15th is recommended so that they flower on new 

 growth and produce much l)etter blooms. (Note: Lati- 

 tude of Philadelphia. 



Planting. In planting tubers lay the tuber hori- 

 zontally about five inches below the surface, with the eye 

 up and the other end of the tuber slightly depressed ; fill 

 the soil up to about one inch below the surrounding soil 

 and leave this depression to take water and to hold the 

 manure mulch to be applied later. Allow ten square feet 

 for each. 



Treatment of the Plant. \Mien the young plant 

 has five pairs of leaves pinch out the top two pairs of 

 leaves so that the plant will branch at the intersections ot 

 the lower leaves and will make a stockier plant that will 

 be of a more convenient height and need less staking. 

 When the buds appear pinch out the two side buds, al- 

 lowing the center ones to develop and have one good 



bloom with a long stem rather 

 than a cluster of small'^r 

 flowers or flowers and buds. 



Cultivating and Fertil- 

 izing. Cultivate the ground 

 about two inches deep early in 

 the season, until mid-August, 

 to force the root growth 

 down, but not after that time, 

 as the mulch of sheep or cow 

 manure to be applied then will 

 both fertilize and conserve 

 moisture. Frequent watering 

 of the soil is beneficial, in fact 

 necessary during this later 

 jjeriod. 



Digging the Clumps. 

 .About three days after frost 

 has blackened the top growth 

 cut the stalks and place on the 

 compost heap. Use two 

 forked spades, one on either 

 side, in digging out the 

 clumps and lift carefully so as 

 not to break the necks of 

 tubers. Tag the clumps and leave in the sun for a fen' 

 hours to dry the moist soil around the clump. 



Storage. Store the clump upside-down, with the stem 

 down, for a few weeks at least, to drain the stem out and 

 not into the crown, as this may cause rot. Remove the 

 clumps to a place that will register about 40 to 50 de- 

 gress, not moist enough to rot the tubers or cause prema- 

 ture growth in the Spring, and not dry enough to dry 

 out all the moisture. Dry sand is fine packing material ; 

 soil will absorb moisture and rot the tubers. The cellar 

 floor of tlie average suburban home is usually a good 

 place to store dahlias, provided of course that it is not 

 damp and does not get too warm. 



\'arieties. The growers' catalogs are quite compre- 

 hensive and certainly give a good assortment. Exhibi- 

 tion varieties are usually found in the Decorative, Hy- 

 brid-Cactus and Peony-Flowering types, l>etter designa- 

 tions for types might be a good work for dahlia societies, 

 as their type-names do not describe the flower. Ne.xt in 

 the list of prize winners will be found the Cactus tvpe, 

 of which there are quite a few on the market now that 

 have good neck and stem habit. Then come the Collar- 

 ette. Pompon, Single and Show or Ball types. 



