152 The Amateur's Book of the Dahlia 



An excellent recipe has been given me by a 

 gardener friend for adding to the water in the 

 vases : 



Into a one quart bottle put: 



1 tablespoon salt. 



1 tablespoon refined bicarbonate of soda. 



1 tablespoon household ammonia. 



Fill with pure water shake well until fully 

 dissolved. Add about a tablespoon of this 

 mixture into each pint-size vase of water before 

 putting in the dahlia stems. Dahlia stems 

 when put into water have a tendency to decay, cre- 

 ating an acid condition. This, in turn, is absorbed 

 by the stems, injuring the bloom. The alkaline 

 solution counteracts this, and the salt strength- 

 ens. 



Water should be changed every day, and fresh 

 alkaline may be added if necessary. Be sure 

 that the stems have plenty of room in the 

 vases, and plenty of water to drink. The evapo- 

 ration from both leaves and flowers is very 

 great, and much is taken up by the stem every 

 day. Never place the stem of a dahlia into so 

 narrow a vase that it will be pressed against the 

 side at any point whatever. I have seen a 

 bloom droop ten minutes after being so treated. 



If newly cut flowers have a tendency to wilt 

 in spite of these precautions, the old-fashioned 



