44 The Amateur's Book of the Dahlia 



the eyes begin to swell and it is possible to begin 

 operations. Unless there is need to separate 

 the tubers for shipment, etc., it is wiser to 

 delay this as late as possible without allowing 

 the clumps to grow long shoots. If the eyes 

 are not suflBciently prominent, wash the clump 

 off and set to one side in a warm dark room 

 for a few days. They will soon be noticeable 

 enough. 



First cut off all broken tubers with the shears, 

 and those whose necks have been strained. If 

 the eyes have developed into long shoots cut 

 them back so that one joint remains. This is to 

 guard against the breaking off of the shoot during 

 the handling of the clump. Should a shoot be 

 broken off, nothing more will develop from the 

 wound. Care must also be exercised not to in- 

 jure the little eyes by the slipping of the knife, 

 or they also will not develop. 



Study the clump carefully. If the eyes have 

 developed on the stock in groups, split the stalk 

 so that there will be a group of tubers connected 

 with each group of eyes. These groups may in 

 turn be subdivided, though often several must 

 be left attached to but one tuber. After plant- 

 ing such groups, and the eyes have grown to 

 shoots four or five inches tall, they may be 

 detached and potted, or even set in the warm 



