THE DAHLIA. 



41 



DAHLIA WAREHOUSE 

 With packing and store rooms and lofts, with staff of employees 



CHAPTER VIII 



COMMERCIAL DAHLIA GROWING. 



FEW people realize the magnitude of commercial Dahlia growing to-day. The illustrations 

 will give a good idea of the extent of growing Dahlias for commercial cut flowers, and 

 these were all taken on only one of the many Dahlia "Farms and Gardens," while the fol- 

 lowing was written by the editor of the Florists' Exchange October 24, 1914: 



"The plants or roots are set out at various periods from April until August, partly owing 

 to the exigencies of the business and partly in order to secure a succession of bloom. The 

 rows are set at Ayi feet apart, and the furrow for the planting is made with a Darnell marker, 

 6 inches deep, and the plants are set at 2^^ feet to 3 feet apart in the row, according to the 

 variety. The roots are covered in, and a roller passed over them, after which a light scratch 

 harrow follows so as to leave a broken surface soil. During the growing season the weeding 

 machine is kept constantly at work ; even after rainy weather the hoe is kept active, not only 

 to suppress weeds but to scarify the surface, and conserve the moisture; moreover scarifying 

 cuts the upper roots of the Dahlia plants, causing them to throw their roots down, and while 

 it retards growth, it tends toward a firmer type of stem, which is what is wanted. It is an 

 axiom here never to produce sappy growth. The weeder is shaped like a snow plow, with 

 two rows of curved prongs, and hoes about 7 feet width of ground, and goes over the Dahlia 

 plants with impunity, as it is found that the slight bruising or knocking does them no harm 

 in their earlier stages of growth. Of course, it requires a careful man to handle such a weeder. 



"So soon as the plants begin to throw out stem growths, these are pulled away, leaving but 

 two main ones ; in Midsummer these are topped to about one foot, and the resulting branches 

 from these are limited to ten, more or less, according to the variety, and if large blooms are 

 wanted, each shoot is disbudded to one flower; if not, of course this work is not undertaken. 

 The pinching is done by girls. 



"About the month of August, when it is desired to encourage the growth for flowering a 

 few weeks later, a dusting along the rows is given of steamed bonemeal, and also, we believe, 

 of sulphate of potash, and where necessary, some nitrate of soda. This, of course, also depends 

 on the season and the condition of the plants; it may not be necessary in all cases. A good 

 deal of horse manure is also plowed into the soil in the Winter. No irrigation is practised. 



