THE DAHLIA. 53 



CHAPTER XI 



CONCLUDING REMARKS. 



WHILE a thorough stirring of the soil will generally give better results than watering, in 

 garden cultivation, yet, when Dahlias are planted near trees, hedges, or large shrubs, 

 they will require liberal watering, especially in dry weather, as the roots of the trees 

 and shrubs will rob them of nature's supply of moisture. Specimen plants on the lawn will also 

 need watering during dry weather, and will well repay this extra attention with their wealth 

 of bloom. A very common, yet fatal, error, is to start the roots in a hot-bed and allow the 

 shoots to become a foot or more in height before planting on the lawn, as a plant started this 

 way will need staking, and will always have a top-heavy appearance. A perfectly symmetrical 

 Dahlia bush is one of the loveliest plants for any open position on the grounds, and can be 

 grown with half the attention required by almost any other flower. 



It is best to prepare a circular bed, at least two feet in diameter, and thoroughly stir the 

 soil to the depth of eighteen inches to two feet. Plant large roots six to eight inches deep, and, 

 under the single stem branching system (see figure 4, page 23), the plant can be grown in any 

 desired form, by securing the branches to small supports. 



It is not generally known that Dahlias make beautiful pot plants, and that, by feeding 

 them properly with manure water they fully equal the Chrysanthemum as an exhibition plant. 

 In growing plants in pots for exhibition, give them plenty of air and sunshine, though as cool a 

 position as possible, and never allow them to suffer from lack of moisture ; but, during very hot 

 weather, partially protect them from the intense mid-day sun, which would injure the delicate 

 petals, and in some cases cause the flowers to fade. 



As the Dahlia is so free from insects and disease, it was thought unnecessary to give the 

 subject a separate chapter. Mildew is the only disease worth mentioning, and is caused by cli- 

 matic conditions and unfavorable positions. Give your plants an open situation, and keep them 

 in a growing condition during dry weather by frequent stirring of the surface soil, or by a 

 thorough watering once each week during the drouth, and mildew will be unknown. If your 

 plants are badly affected they will never bloom, so cut them down to the ground, when they 

 will send up healthy shoots, and with proper attention, bloom until frost. 



There are but few insects affecting Dahlias in America, and these are easily disposed of 

 by hand picking. The brown cut worm will sometimes cut off small shoots; as they will shoot 

 up again, destroy the worm, and but little damage is done. The black aster bug sometimes 

 attack the flowers but are easily picked off, as are also the spotted cucumber beetle — a small 

 yellowish green, black spotted beetle about one-fourth to three-eighths of an inch long, that 

 feeds on the shoots and flowers. As these insects are but few and scattering, and as mildew 

 is seldom seen, the Dahlia can, practically, be called free from insects and diseases. 



In reference to the amateur planting the same roots from year to year, it is well to sound 

 a note of warning. Where Dahhas are planted early in rich soil and fed from time to time, 

 and the plants kept blooming the entire season, in other words, forced, the roots are thoroughly 

 exhausted and will not give the best results the following year. This applies to Dahlias as well 

 as to Dutch bulbs or anything else, especially because the plants are kept blooming under stim- 

 ulants, which prevents them from properly ripening and depositing plant food in the tubers, as 

 would be the case under ordinary culture. This will account for the fact that Dahlias do not 

 do so well in many cases the second year as the first. 



