168 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



and if this were attempted the result eiuilil Lie nothin<.J 

 but barrenness in l)Oth. 



To obtain an_\ real and lasting benefit to our profession 

 we must be loyal to our association, the national character 

 of which is something more than a name, for we could 

 hold a meeting in most any state in the I'nion and muster 

 a good showing of local members. 



Our secretary has been giving us a large amount of 

 his time and money and has spared no efTort on our 

 behalf. Is all this to go for nothing? .Are we so blind 

 to our own interests as not to realize the immense good 

 that a strong association, devoted solely and entirelv to 

 ourselves, can do us? I cannot believe that we are. On 

 the contrary, I am convinced that nur members have 

 ever)' confidence in the possibilities which await us if 

 we are firm in our allegiance to our association. Op- 

 position should only have the efifect of increasing our 

 determination to make the N. A. G. the strongest society 

 in the Imrticultural world, and so to shape its policy that 

 it will stand for everything calculated to make us pmud 

 of ourselves and of each other. 



We must as mdividuals spare no eftnrt U< increase our 

 membership, for, although we are receiving accession ^ 

 every day, there are still a large number in our profession 

 who do not fully realize all we stand for. (^ur dutv to 

 ourselves is to bring all tit persons into tlie fold we jios- 

 sibly can. 



The ball has been set mlliug to obtain the co-operation 

 of estate owners and I venture to think that we shall 

 secure this in a measure greater than even the most san- 

 guine of us expect. If this is desirable then we must 

 work together for the general uplift of our profession, 

 and above all things we must keep clear of entanglements 

 likely to retard our effc)rts and which will only have the 

 efifect of putting sand into the bearings of our car which 

 we intend driving up the hill of progress. 



Let our motto consist of one word — Excelsior. 



Read before the Xritioiial A.-snciation of (Tarileners at Boston, Mass 

 .'\uglist 1<>. 1014. 



PROPAGATING THE DAHLIA. 



As the dahlia is deser\eilly a popular llower, and as the 

 newer types bid fair to sur])ass the older ones in popu- 

 larity, a few cultural and descriptive remarks pertaining 

 to the various groups will jierhaps interest lovers of the 

 plant, and elucidate many mistaken ideas which in practice 

 are injurious, and are, therefore, detrimental to the pro- 

 duction of flowers, writes H. J. Moore in Canadian 

 Flonst. Ignorance of the ])roper nietln.ids of propagation 

 is a deterrent factor as growers, with few exceptions, 

 recognize but one method, viz., by division of the tuberous 

 root stock. Plants so raised are not so vigorous as those 

 propagated by means of cuttings or seeds, as they de- 

 teriorate more quickly, and in the garden or on the show 

 bench their Powers are inferior, a fact which is evident 

 at a glance. 



Plants of any rare or valuable kind ma\- be increased 

 by cuttings during August or September. V>\ this me- 

 thod it is possible to multi]3ly the stock and so preclude 

 the possibility of losing it during winter storage, which 

 often happens where but one or two tubers of each variety 

 exist. The cuttings should be lateral growths from the 

 stem, not tliose bearing flower buds, and be prepared in 

 the usual way by cutting below a node (joint) and remov- 

 ing the leaves at the base. When prepared they should be 

 inserted sinely in two-inch pots, containing sand, mixed 

 with leaf soil, finely sieved, or inserted directly in sand 

 in the bench, and after rooting be potted into three inch 

 pots. If lilaced in a cool shaded greenhouse they will 

 quickly form "pot roots" (small tubers), and when the 



plants have finished their growth the pots containing 



these should be stored away until spring. 



In the case of the general stock spring is the time to 

 propagate. The old tubers may, during March, be re- 

 moved from their storage and placed in a gentle heat 

 of 60 to 65 degrees F., under the influence of which 

 young growths will be produced. Any or all of those 

 may be removed from the parent tuber, and as cuttings 

 be inserted in the propagating bench, or in boxes filled 

 with sand. Shaded from sunlight the>' will quickly root 

 and after potting will, by the planting season, form 

 sturdy |)lants. Propagation by division should not be 

 tolerated where first-class flowers are required, or where 

 the facilities of a small greenhouse or window conserv- 

 atory allow of propagation by cuttings or seeds. 



The dahlia is capricious in that it does not always re- 

 produce itself true from seed. -\s Ijy this means new 

 varieties occur, this method of propagation is most fasci- 

 nating, and merits a trial by the grower. Plants from 

 seed sown in a greenhouse, in April or early May, de- 

 velop rapidly, are ecjual in every way to those raised from 

 cuttings, and if the practice were annually adopted by 

 those whose storage facilities are not good, much worry 

 would be precluded. There is, however, one objection 

 to the method, there is no certainty that a desirable var- 

 iety will reproduce itself, but the anticipation, as every 

 ]ilant gradually approaches the flowering stage and the 

 pleasure, as they individually unfold their petals, more 

 than compensates for the time spent on their culture. 



The dahlia requires a moderately heavy soil, with 

 |i]enty of humus. .\ very heav\' soil is not conducive 

 to success, as the succulent roots are naturally unable to 

 |)enetrate hard, stony or clay soils. Heavy soils, however, 

 n:ay, by the addition of humus, be improved to such an 

 extent a.s to render successful culture j^ossible. 



Do not plant out of doors until dang:er from frost is 

 past. ( )ld. tubers which have not started into growth 

 may he jilanted and escape injury as long as growth does 

 not appear above ground. It is, however, best in all 

 cases to start tubers, whether young or old, in boxes 

 or in pots some weeks prior to ])lanting. 



While the methods of storing the tuliers difl:'er some- 

 what there are two conditions which are essential to suc- 

 cess, viz., a fairly dry atmosphere, and an average tem- 

 perature of 50 degrees F. in the storage room. .\s dahlia 

 tubers are esjiecially susceptible to the attacks of fungus, 

 which cause them to rot, the atmosjahere should not be 

 humid, and being tropical in nature, the plants must have 

 a certain heat even when dormant. Under ideal condi- 

 tions it is unnecessary to cover the tubers when stored 

 awav, but if the atmosphere is excessively dry it is 

 good practice to afford a light covering of dry leaves or 

 straw to prevent evaporation of the moisture from their 

 cells. Do not place the tubers on cold concrete floors, 

 or on damp earth, a laver of boards will aft'ord protection 

 from these. W'ater should not be given during winter, 

 as it either excites growth, or causes disease. .Ml plants 

 should be examined at least every month, and diseased 

 ones be destroved. 



OUR COVER ILLUSTRATION. 



The illustration on our cover page, re!)r(iduced from 

 a photograph of the Palace of Horticulture, was taken 

 at a point 12.S feet aliove the ground, the photographer 

 l)eing stationed on the huee Tower of Jewels, which is 

 '^5 feet in height. The Horticultural Palace is one of 

 the mrist remarkable and beautiful structures upon the 

 exposition grounds. The building is 600 feet long and 

 300 feet wide. The huge dome in the center is 186 feet 

 high and 152 feet in diameter. The architecture of the 

 domes and minarets resembles that of the mosque of the 

 Sultan .\hmed I. at Constantinople, while the details of 

 the facades, spires and other decorations reproduce the 

 Eighteenth Century French Renaissance. 



