154 The Amateur's Booh of the Dahlia 



board, reenforced with the same material corru- 

 gated, are light and strong and stand the wear 

 and tear of travel. They come in collapsible 

 form and can be stored in small space when 

 not in use. The best size and shape is four feet 

 long, twelve inches wide, and ten inches high — 

 allowing large-flowered, long-stemmed varieties 

 plenty of room. 



When packed, the dahlia blooms should be 

 perfectly dry, or they will become heated and 

 decay en route. The stems should be kept 

 moist so that no evaporation comes from the 

 reservoir within. I know a dahlia grower who 

 always sears the tip of the stem before shipping 

 so that it will not "bleed." If you have the 

 time and the blooms are valuable, wrap each 

 stem in cotton batting or cotton cloth soaked 

 in water. Tie a bit of waxed paper over this 

 and the stem will be able to have a drink of 

 water on the way. 



Line the box completely with waxed paper 

 and lay the largest blooms with longest stems 

 on the bottom. Cover each bloom with waxed 

 paper, protecting it from rubbing its neighbour. 

 When the bottom layer of flowers is in place, 

 with a large sail needle and soft white cotton 

 string, sew the stems to the cardboard bottom. 

 Be sure to place a few folds of waxed paper next 



