164 The Amateur's Book of the Dahlia 



Any association affiliated with the American 

 Dahlia Society receives a silver medal to be 

 competed for at its local show. It should, of 

 course, go to the exhibit which makes the best 

 score of points. 



This affiliation scheme, by the way, is most 

 valuable to any garden club or local organiza- 

 tion. The fee is but ten dollars, whatever the size 

 of the club, and ten copies each of the quarterly 

 bulletin of the society are sent to the club's sec- 

 retary for distribution. The medal alone is worth 

 the price, and proud indeed is the lucky winner. 



I have found that the average amateur covets 

 a ribbon or trophy far more than any money 

 prize. When arranging the schedule, remember 

 that a person winning a first prize of three or 

 five dollars has spent four or five times that 

 amount to do so. Of course, the five dollars 

 will buy the tuber of a new variety for next year; 

 but the chances are that the money is slipped 

 into the pocketbook and we forget to put it away 

 for that purpose. 



Did you ever look through the trophy book of 

 a real dahlia fan? Watch his eyes as he shows 

 you his blue and red ribbons, and the exhibit 

 cards with prize pasters on them. Locked se- 

 curely in his cabinet are the medals which he 

 shows you with exultant pride. In his den are 



