128 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



June, 1909 



Some Notes on The Dahlia 



J. Cavers, Oakville, Ontario 



THE culture of dahlias is almost as 

 simple as the growing of pota- 

 toes. Existing varieties are pro- 

 pagated by division of the tubers, by 

 cuttings and, to a limited extent, by 

 grafting. New varieties are obtained 

 from seed. The buds, or eyes, are in 

 the neck of the tuber, not in the body of 

 it, as in the potato. The tuber may be . 

 divided into as many pieces as there are 

 eyes, care being taken to have a good 

 sized piece of tuber for each eye, for the 

 first nourishment of the young plant. 

 Cuttings made from the growing wood 

 are readily rooted in sand with bottom 

 heat. 



Do not plant a dahlia tuber — or any 

 tuber or bulb — in contact with manure. 



The following are conditions from 

 which good results may be expected, — 

 open sunlight, a free circulation of air, a 

 plentif il supply of moisture, and a good 

 loamy soil, well pulverized and not too 

 rich in nitrogenous plant food. Give 

 each plant about ten square feet of sur- 

 face. 



The tubers start to bud before it is 

 desirable to plant. If these be placed in 

 a strong light, — not in direct sunlight, — 

 and protected from frost, the buds will 

 develop slowly and make strong plants 

 for setting out. 



Training of the growing plant is desir- 

 able, and the most approved method is 

 known as "the single stem branching sys- 

 tem." The chief feature of this system is 

 to prevent the plant from making a main 

 trunk, and the method is simple. When 

 the young shoots appear, remove all but 

 the strongest one. Allow this one to 

 grow until two pairs of leaves have been 

 developed, then pinch back the main 

 stem, or leader, to the upper pair of 

 leaves. This will give a short single 

 stem with four long branches close to the 

 ground. A similar pinching back of the 

 leading stem of each of these four 

 branches may be made. The effect of 

 this system of training is to give low- 

 set, symmetrical and widely-branched 

 plants that will withstand high winds 

 without being tied to stakes. Another 

 desirable result is that the first imper- 

 fect, short-stemmed flowers that are 

 formed on many varieties under the or- 

 dinary system are avoided and, under 

 the syslem recommended, finer flowers 

 are produced on long stems, well sup- 

 lied with foliage. 



The dahlia is a late blooming plant. It 

 will not give satisfactory results from 

 forcing or from too early planting. The 

 finest blooms, and these are the chief 

 consideration with amateurs, are devel- 

 oped in September, the season of long, 

 cool, dewy nights. Planting from the 

 I St to isth June in Ontario will proba- 

 bly give in an average season better re- 

 sults than earlier planting. 



Two or three days after the first kill- 

 ing frost, the stems should be cut off, 

 the tubers carefully lifted, and allowed 

 to dry in the sunshine, after whch they 

 may be stored in sand in a cool, but frost- 

 proof cellar, care being taken that the 

 moisture does not collect and remain in 

 the crowns of the tubers. Such moisture 

 will almost invariably produce rot. 



Dandelions in Lawns 



Dandelions, narrow-leaved plaintains, 

 docks and weeds of that class can scarce- 

 ly be gotten rid of except by spudding, 

 and unless this operation is performed 



killing young dandelion plants. A twen- 

 ty per cent, solution of sulohate of iron 

 is used. Dissolve two pounds of sul- 

 phate of iron in a gallon of water, stir- 

 ring with a stick to hasten solution. Ap- 

 ply with a hand sprayer. Use one gal- 

 tion of this solution to one square rod 

 of greensward. A second application 

 may be necessary. The grass will be 

 blackened and appear killed but in a 

 week or so it will recover and grow with 

 increased vigor. Old dandelion plants 

 cannot be killed by spraying. On these 

 apply dry sulphate of iron to the heart 

 of the old plant. If this is repeated 

 once or twice, it will kill the old plants. 

 Where the lawn is large and the dande- 

 lions plentiful, either of the foreeoing 

 operations may require too much time 



A Well Planted Perennial Border is Beaotiful from Beginning to End of Seaion. 



The one illustrated was taken at "Dunain," the residence of Mr. Barlow Cumberland, Port Hope, Out. 



when the weeds are young, it may not 

 be satisfactory, especially in the case of 

 old dandelions. A spud may be pur- 

 chased at a hardware store or from 

 seedsmen. Run the instrument (which 

 resembles a wide screw driver or chisel) 

 downward alongside of the root to loosen 

 the soil so that it may be pulled out 

 whole. Except in the case of young 

 dandelion roots, do not be content with 

 simply cutting off the plant below the 

 surface of the soil. After using the 

 spud, immediately use a pounder to fill 

 up the holes that otherwise would af- 

 ford lodgement for seeds that are blow- 

 ing about freely. These spots may also 

 be sown with grass seed to advantage. 

 Dandelions may be treated with 

 chemicals but where they are very preva- 

 lent the process is slow. A few drops of 

 sulphuric acid (oil of vitriol) poured on 

 the crown of each plant usually will kill 

 them. Spraying is also advocated for 



and expense. In such cases the only 

 thing to do, is to dig or plow up the 

 turf, and make the lawn over again. 



Weeds are more plentiful on thin 

 lawns than on those that are thick and 

 velvety. By improving the turf, by 

 means of fertilizing and additional seed- 

 ing to thicken it most weeds will disap- 

 pear. Keep the mower going, as it 

 will do much towards keeping down 

 most weeds. 



From England comes a suggestion for 

 the conversion of the home greenhouse 

 into a swimming tank when flowers will 

 not grow. During the summer months 

 the greenhouse often is idle. Use lime 

 and cement for floor and sides and turn 

 it into a pleasure place. The water. may 

 be warmed, if necessary, by the pipes 

 that are used in winter for greenhouse 

 purposes. 



