450 



DAHLIA 



DAHLIA 



young shoots as fast as they form the third or fourth 

 set of leaves. These cuttings are carefully trimmed 

 and placed in pure sand in the propagating bench, using 

 a dibble, and putting the cuttings in rows about 3 in. 

 apart and %-! in. between the cuttings. 



The propagating bench is made by running a flue, hot 

 water or steam pipes beneath an ordinary bench, and 

 boarding up the side to confine the heat. Although 

 there may be a difference of opinion among propagators, 

 yet a bottom of sand heat of 65°, with the temperature 

 of the house from 5-10° less, will give the best practical 

 results. With this temperature, the cuttings will root 

 in about two weeks, and will be far stronger than if 

 rooted in less time with greater heat. As soon as cut- 

 tings are rooted, they are potted oft into small pots and 

 grown in a cool greenhouse until danger of frost is over, 

 when they are planted out in the open ground. Cuttings 

 made too far below a joint, or too late in summer, will 

 produce flowering plants but no tubers. 



Grafting.— This is a very interesting, though not 

 profitable, mode of propagation. The top of the tuber is 

 cut slantingly upward, and the cutting slantingly down- 

 ward, placed together and tied with raf&a or any soft, 

 handy material. They are then planted in a pot deep 

 enough to cover the lower part of the graft with earth, 

 and they will soon adhere if placed under a hand glass 

 or in a frame. Grafting is practiced only for the pres- 

 ervation of rare and weali-growing sorts. 



Seeds.— The chief use of seeds is the production of 

 new varieties. Seeds are also used bythose who chiefiy 

 desire a mass of color, and are not particularly desirous 

 of finely formed blooms. If planted early enough in- 

 doors and transplanted to the open as soon as safe, fine 

 jnasses of color can be secured before frost, and the 

 roots of the more desirable kinds can be saved, and will 

 give even better results the next season. 



Position. —Dahlias are easily destroyed by high 

 "winds unless they are given a protected position, and 

 they need plenty of air and sunlight for best results. In 

 shaded, close, airless quarters the growth is sappy and 

 the flowers are poorly colored. 



Soil.— The soil is not so important, except in its 

 ability to hold moisture during severe droughts. Any 

 rich soil that will grow corn will also grow Dahlias to 

 perfection, if all other conditions are favorable. They 

 will grow equally well in clear sand, clay or gravel, if 

 the proper kinds and quantities of plant-food are added 

 and well and thoroughly worked in. It is, however, un- 

 reasonable to expect Dahlias or any garden plants to 

 succeed in a hard clay, devoid of humus, easily baked 

 and never tilled. 



Feeding.— It is always best to broadcast the manure 

 and plow or spade it into the soil; thorough spading is 

 absolutely necessary if the manure is not well decom- 

 posed. On heavy clay or gravelly soils, loose, coarse 

 manure may be used, but on light or sandy soils, ma- 

 nure should always be fine and well-rotted. 

 Commercial fertilizers are also largely used, 

 and are most valuable when used in connec- 

 tion with manure. Any good fertilizer, rich 

 in ammonia and phosphoric acid, with a 

 liberal amount of potash, will answer at the 

 time of planting, out as a top-dressing later, ; 

 nothing equals pure bone meal and nitrate ^ 

 of soda, i parts bone to 1 part soda. 



Kinds of Stock. — Dahlias are ofl'ered in 

 five forms : large clumps, ordinary field roots, 

 pot roots, green plants and seeds. The clumps '<>- 

 give the best satisfaction the first year, but 

 are entirely too large and unwieldy for any- 

 thing but a local trade and exchange among 

 amateurs. The ordinary field roots are the 

 most valuable, as they can be easily and safely 

 handled, and always give satisfactory results. 

 Pot roots are largely used in the mailing 

 trade, and, while they will not always give as 

 good results the first year, are valuable for 

 shipping long distances, where larger roots 

 could not be profitably used owing to heavy 

 transportation charges. Green plants are 

 mainly used to make up any deficiency in the 

 field crops, owing to unfavorable seasons, or 

 an unusual demand for certain varieties. 666. 



Planting.— There is a diversity of opinion as to the 

 proper time to plant Dahlias, but the writer has always 

 found it best to plant early, and would advise planting 

 large, strong roots about two weeks before danger of 

 frost is over. This would be, in the vicinity of Phila- 

 delphia, about April 15 ; and as it takes from two to three 

 weeks for the plants to get up through the ground, there 

 will be no danger, while the plants will bloom that much 

 earlier. It is best, however, not to plant small roots or 

 green plants until danger of frost is over— in the vicinity 

 of Philadelphia, about May 1 to 10, according to the sea- 

 son. A good rule to follow everywhere would be to 

 plant small roots and green plants as soon as danger of 

 frost is over, and large roots about three weeks earlier. 



Tillage.— The first requisite of successful garden 

 cultivation is to thoroughly stir the soil to considerable 

 depth and enrich it, if it is not already rich, by broad- 

 casting and plowing or spading in a good coat of well 

 rotted manure. Too much stress cannot be placed upon 

 the thorough preparation of the soil, as it not only allows 



t 



Matchless. Half size. 



A velvety maroon Cactus Dahlia. 



