VV.Vi'VI'fi 



3»"»\»'.'l'.>V."V«'t'l'.W'.'»'.'«W>'''."'V'^ 



i-=*iWi»K 



TURNING DAHLIAS 



^ INTO DOLLARS 



After a period of comparative disfa,vor, dahlias have heen returning 

 in recent years to their rightful place in public esteem. On account of their 

 wide diversity of form and color, they are now peculiarly well adapted to 

 aid in preventing monotony in florists' displays of stoch. 



AHLIAS old-fashioned! No, 

 not now, though still oc- 

 casionally called old-fash- 

 ioned flowers. Thirty or 

 forty years ago they were 

 correctly so called, for 

 they then had all the prim, 

 precise dignity that 'is 

 characteristic of many old 

 fashions. The prim form, 

 the show type, still survives and is a be- 

 loved member of the group, but now the 

 show type is only one of many types; it 

 no longer dominates the fashions of the 

 entire dahlia family. No, indeed, dahlias 

 now are not old-fashioned. There is 

 nothing antiquated or slow about them; 

 they are genuine progressives. Just 

 when the experts have completed a nice, 

 elaborate classification of the dahlia 

 forms, labeling them cactus, decorative, 

 show, peony-flowered and so on — just 

 then two or three brand-new types are 

 likely to appear and create fresh dis- 

 order, because none of the old labels 

 will fit the new arrivals. 



In fact, the dahlia always has been 

 peculiarly quick to respond to good 

 treatment. When, late in 

 the eighteenth century, the 

 first consignment of seed of 

 the wild dahlia was sent 

 from the native dahlia home 

 in Mexico to the gardeners 

 of Europe, the flower imme- 

 diately- — even in the first 

 year — showed its apprecia- 

 tion of its new environment 

 by beginning, in numerous 

 instances, to assume a dou- 

 ble form. 



A Fortunate Find. 



Even the first flowers of 

 the cactus type had their 

 origin, apparently, in acci- 

 dental discovery, or in en- 

 tirely natural circumstances, 

 rather than in special cul- 

 ture or systematic experi- 

 mentation. It is said that 

 in 1872 a shipment of dahlia 

 roots, mostly decayed on ar- 

 rival, was received by a 

 Dutch florist from a friend 

 in Mexico and that a cactus 

 flower, the first one known 

 to civilization, was pro- 

 duced from one of the few 

 sound roots in the lot. If. 

 then, the dahlia has proved 

 itself so appreciative of 

 slight human attention, why 

 should it not develop won- 

 derfully under the skillful 

 care of modern specialists? 



In accounting for the 



temporary check in the popularity of 

 dahlias, two reasons usually have been 

 cited; first, the former predominance of 

 the stiff, prim show type, and, second, 

 the difficulty that sometimes has bee* ex- 

 perienced in shipping the flowers suc- 

 cessfully. The first-mentioned obstacle, 

 monotonous formality of flower, surely 

 has been effectually removed. Among 

 the many classes of modern dahlias, 

 there certainly are sufficient diversities 

 of form and color to suit the most ex- 

 acting and dissimilar tastes. 



Satisfactory Shipping. 



The other trouble, in regard to ship- 

 ping, has also been overcome to a large 

 extent. Successful shipping of dahlias 

 depends chiefly on care in packing them. 

 They are easily bruised, but the bruis- 

 ing may be avoided by proper handling. 

 Shippers have learned how to pack them 

 so they will travel long distances satis- 

 factorily, at least if the weather is not 

 intensely hot. They are not the easiest 

 of flowers to ship in excessive heat and 

 each grower must decide for himself, in 

 consideration of his market and other 



They Travel Well When Properly Packed. 



circumstances, whether it will be profit- 

 able for him to make an effort to get an 

 especially early crop. In solving this 

 problem there is plenty of opportunity 

 for the exercise of shrewd judgment. 

 Experience with dahlias, as with chrys- 

 anthemums, has proved that sometimes 

 there is no gain in greatly extending the 

 blooming season. Dahlias are in their 

 highest glory from the first part of Sep- 

 tember until frost, but it is possible to 

 have them in bloom for three months, 

 beginning in mid-July. 



A prosperous New Jersev grower 

 gives this brief outline of his method 

 of packing: "We usually pack two 

 layers to a box. Corrugated boxes are 

 used, from five to six inches in height, 

 forty inches long and sixteen inches 

 wide, holding from 200 to .300 dahlias, 

 according to the kind of flower. We 

 can ship them in this manner, we be- 

 lieve, to Chicago. We certainly ship 

 them to all the big cities east of Chicago 

 and get them there in good order." 



Single dahlias may be propagated 

 from seed. Seed of the double forms 

 may also be used, if the grower wishes 

 to experiment in the pro- 

 duction of new varieties or 

 if he will be satisfied with 

 a crop of blooms of all 

 forms and colors. At large 

 commercial places, plants 

 are extensively grown, also, 

 from cuttings. It is here 

 supposed, however, that the 

 beginner has obtained a 

 stock of the tuberous roots, 

 usually called tubers or 

 bulbs. 



Dividing the Clumps. 



If the roots are in the 

 form of undivided clumps, 

 the grower needs to bear in 

 mind that the eyes or buds 

 are all on the crown — that 

 is, on the base of the old 

 stem — and that a root with- 

 out an eye is worthless. In 

 tlie process of division, 

 therefore, the clump or 

 cluster must be so cut as to 

 apportion to each separate 

 tuber or root a piece of thp 

 crown containing at least 

 one eye. Unless the eyes 

 arc already clearly visible, 

 so as to serve as a sure 

 guide in the use of the 

 knife, it is well to start the 

 buds by placing the. clumps 

 in moist, moderately warm 

 earth for a week or two be- 

 fore dividing them. Then 

 there will be no need of 



