THE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF NEW YORK 



munks and mice are delighted with the feast thus prepared 

 for them, and make short work of the tubers. Moles should 

 be trapped early in the season when they begin to make their 

 runs. They are hungry then, after their long winter fast, and 

 do not notice the traps as they do later in the season. 



Woody stems produce poor flowers, if any at all. The best 

 blooms appear on smooth green growth with stems full of sap. 

 Both white fly and drought harden the stems and stunt growth, 

 and if in spite of all precautions this does happen, cut out the 

 woody branches entirely. The roots will put all their strength 

 into making new growth, and the plants become normal again. 



If the plants should show a tendency to go to leaf, cut away 

 all but three branches, and disbud all the side shoots from these. 

 Of course there will be but three flowers on this plant, and they 

 will probably be very fine. If left alone, however, there will 

 probably be no flowers at all. 



There is also a blight which causes the plant to cease growing. 

 The stems become hard, and the leaves remain small. Treat- 

 ment during the summer months is seldom availing, and ex- 

 periments with both corrosive sublimate and formaldehyde on 

 tubers from such plants when dormant, have proved of negli- 

 gible value. It is far better to destroy such plants entirely, 

 and secure fresh stock from an outside source. I have never 

 found thi t the blight infests the soil where such a plant has 

 grown, but the disease is invariably carried over in the root 

 from year to year. 



The latter part of August, or about six weeks before the dahlia 

 shows begin, the plants must have their bit of tonic. There 

 is plenty of food in the soil, but to stimulate the best effort in 

 the plant, some nitrates should be given them. The most 

 convenient form is that of commercial sheep manure, but if a 

 poultry yard is at hand, fresh hen manure, mixed with sand, is 

 the best. 



Draw the soil away from around each plant, making a basin 

 from twelve to eighteen inches across. Scatter into this half a 

 trowel full (two rounded tablespoonsful) of sheep or hen ma- 

 nure, not more. Pour in slowly a large bucketful of water, 

 and when this has disappeared, pour in another. After the 



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