THE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF NEW YORK 



Dahlias vary greatly in height. Much depends of course upon 

 soil, water supply, and other conditions, but there are striking 

 and fairly constant varietal differences. Some of the varieties 

 in cultivation in the United States ordinarih- grow only about 

 two feet high, while some of the more luxuriant reach eight, 

 nine, or even ten feet. If one knows their habits beforehand and 

 is planting a bed or a border, it is of course desirable to put the 

 tall ones in the background or middle and the short ones in front. 

 In our breezy climate it is customary to tie all except the shortest 

 kinds to stakes. The writer prefers to drive the stakes at the 

 time of planting or just before placing the roots, as this avoids 

 possible future injury to the root and it also facilitates an equal 

 spacing of the stakes and their disposition in a straight line or 

 some desired curve. Dahlia stakes of various lengths, round or 

 square, painted or unpainted, are offered for sale by the leading 

 florists and dahlia specialists. Four-foot, one-inch-square fence 

 pickets do very well for all except the largest kinds; if painted 

 and if their lower ends are dipped in creosote or some of the tai* 

 preparations used for roofing, they will last for several years. 



As is the case with nearly all cultivated plants, dahlias thrive 

 best when the soil is frequently and deeply stirred during the 

 early and middle parts of the season, but after the flowering sea- 

 son is well advanced, they seem to do just as well or better if the 

 surface is only lightly scratched, unless a protracted drought 

 makes a deeper stirring desirable. 



Disbudding is to be recommended as an aid in getting large 

 handsome flowers on long stalks. The buds at the end of the 

 main stem and of the principal branches commonly produce the 

 best flowers and the size and beauty of these leading flowers is 

 enhanced if the buds and branches in the axils of the three or 

 four pairs of leaves immediately below are removed about as 

 soon as they appear. Late in September and in October one can 

 remove these lateral buds with the easy feeling that they would 

 probably never reach blossoming size anyhow before being over- 

 taken by frost. Occasionally, however, when the flowering 

 season is unusually prolonged, as last year (when in the region of 

 New York City the plants were not cut down until November 7), 



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