THE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF NEW YORK 



would shut them from a free circulation of air. If the locality 

 is hot, choose a spot which gets the morning sun and where the 

 shade of buildings or of distant trees will reach them soon after 

 the noon hour. Dahlia plants droop from such hot sun as we 

 have in this climate, and the summer nights are not sufficiently 

 long to allow them to recuperate. The much needed moisture 

 must not be wasted, so the ground should be fairly level; and 

 all the better if situated at the bottom of a gentle slope where 

 they would receive the added water during rains. Much 

 drainage is unnecessary, and is often harmful in our hot dry 

 climate. 



Dahlias like each others' company, and do better if growing 

 by themselves. They are jealous of tree roots which encroach 

 upon their territory, and abhor hungry shrubs or herbaceous 

 plants which might rob them of their food. 



The Soil should be sandy loam, the nearest to volcanic soil 

 which we can hope for in our gardens, but not so light that it 

 will dry out quickly. If the spot chosen has very light soil, 

 add rich clay, if procurable, and heavy well rotted horse ma- 

 nure. Cow manure is stimulating with nitrates, but may be 

 used if the other is not to be had. If the soil is heavy, add 

 sand and rotted leaves until it becomes loose and friable to a 

 depth of eighteen inches at least. Rotted leaves make nature's 

 own fertilizer, and are destroyed to the value of hundreds of 

 thousands of dollars each year. Leaves for this purpose should 

 be gathered as soon as fallen, and either stacked or thrown in 

 a pit, tramped down and covered with earth or branches to 

 keep from blowing away. In a year this is fit to use, and makes 

 the best general purpose fertilizer which we can wish for. The 

 leaves of hardwood trees pulverize before decaying, thus being 

 best for breaking up a clayey soil. Beds for dahlias cannot be 

 too rich in leaf mold as long as the soil is not too light. 



In November dig the ground over to a depth of about i8 

 inches; mix in the leaf mold and add bone meal at the rate of 

 loo lbs. to 300 square feet. • For the benefit of those who wish 

 to plant but a few dahlias, I may add that as dahlias are usually 

 planted about three feet apart each way, bone meal may be 

 dug in so that each plant gets about one pound. During the 



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