DAHLIA 



THE BULB BOOK 



DAHLIA 



thinning out the superfluous shoots, 

 the frequent use of the hoe, and 

 mulching with manure, he also feeds 

 his plants when coming into blossom 

 with weak liquid manure two or 

 three times a week, especially in hot 

 dry seasons. Then he does not allow 

 a plant to develop all its buds. Only 

 the best of these are retained, the 

 others being pinched out so as not 

 to absorb food that will then be 

 available for the others. When the 

 flowers are opening they may possibly 

 be too early for a particular exhibi- 

 tion. It will then be necessary to 

 shade them in some way, to retard 

 the opening of the florets. This is 

 done either by erecting a canvas 

 screen over the plants, or individual 

 flower-heads may be protected by 

 placing over them some of the 

 " Acme " canvas shaders that are 

 movable up and down a stake to 

 any required height. They not only 

 shade the blooms from the sun, but 

 will also protect them from wind 

 and heavy rains. 



Flowers for exhibition should never 

 be cut at midday— but always either 

 very early in the morning, or, better 

 still, about an hour before twilight 

 the day before they are required. 



So far as artificial or chemical 

 manures are concerned, one of the 

 best to use is basic slag. A sprink- 

 ling of this slow-acting manure over 

 the soil at the time of planting will 

 yield up its phosphates just about 

 the time the buds begin to appear, 

 and when a little stimulant is 

 appreciated. 



Propagation.— Dahlias are easily 

 increased in three ways — (1) from 

 seeds, (2) from cuttings, and (3) by 

 dividing the root-stocks. 



Seeds should be saved, when 

 thoroughly ripe, only from the very 

 best varieties in any particular 

 section. They should be sown 



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thinly about February or March, in 

 pots, pans, or boxes of light, sandy, 

 rich soil, in a greenhouse with a 

 temperature of 60^ to 70° F. They 

 soon germinate, and when the seed- 



Fio. 117.— Dahlia, seedlings. 



lings are about 2 ins. high, each one 

 should be placed in a 3-in. pot in 

 a similar compost. If grown on 

 close to the glass, and with plenty 

 of air and light and a much lower 

 temperature, they will be ready for 

 planting in the open air about the 

 end of May or early in June, as 

 already stated. It may be as well 

 to mention that special varieties can- 

 not be expected to come true to 

 character if raised from seed. Such 

 must be propagated by means of 

 cuttings or division. 



To secure a supply of good cuttings, 

 the old tuberous roots with pieces of 

 old stems attached should be taken 

 from their winter quarters about 

 February or March, and placed in 

 a temperature of 60° to 70' F. 

 They should be slightly covered with 

 rich gritty soil, or placed in coco-nut 

 fibre or leaf - mould close to glass, 

 and sprinkled every day. In this 

 way stout, sturdy shoots soon appear 

 from the base of the old stems just 

 about their junction with the old 

 tubers. When the shoots are about 

 3 ins. long they should be severed 

 with a sharp knife just beneath a 

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