The Dahlia in America 1 1 1 



results, is no doubt due to the fact that in the case of 

 the latter late planting is a necessity owing to the 

 rush of other things in the early spring season. 



Koots thus planted do not start, do not begin their 

 growth until after the first hot spell is over, and as a 

 matter of fact they do not stop growing when once 

 fairly started on the road. Moreover, plants thus 

 grown do not require stakes, for they keep within a 

 reasonable height, and again can be planted more 

 closely together. 



Planted out about the 1st of July (that is, roots, 

 not cuttings), bloom will begin about the middle of 

 August and continue until frost. The old time 

 growers apparently followed this plan or something 

 like it, for in the first volume of Hoveys Magazine, 

 dated 1835, a writer calls attention to the desirability 

 of retarding the growth of the plants " even two or 

 three weeks, as when planted early they are apt to 

 form their flower buds at a period when the weather 

 is both so hot and dry as to cause these buds to 

 perish as fast as they are formed." And yet this 

 cardinal point was lost sight of until lately, and even 

 to-day is regarded with suspicion or doubt by some ; 

 at the same time it is a fact that there has not been a 

 successful exhibitor of Dahlias in recent years who 

 persistently and consistently adhered to early planting. 

 It is found to be good practice to plant the roots in 

 preference to cutting plants, dividing them so as to 

 leave one eye only. Field roots as lifted the previous 

 year may be used just as well, and will of course give 

 larger plants that is to say, more stems ; but if divided 

 up, the results on the whole will be far better. One 

 reason that cutting plants are not so good as roots is 



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