Mat, 1911 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



227 



in summer and none at all in autumn. He thinks that one trouble is "too good soil" and has found that stripping off leaves and shoots 

 helps but does not entirely remedy matters. 



While that is the dahlia situation in a nut-shell, and is quite sufficient to set right the gardener who is all wrong in the growing of 

 a deservedly popular flower, it was thought best to pursue the subject still further and endeavor to elicit more detailed information 

 from some of the commercial growers of dahlias on a larger scale. For the purpose of comparison as to the matter of unanimity of 

 opinion the several answers to each of the sixteen questions are grouped by themselves. The answers are from (i) Walter M. 

 Gray, Maplewood, N. J.; (2) J. R. Alexander, East Bridgewater, Mass; (3) W. D. Hathaway, New Bedford, Mass., and (4) E. S. 

 Brown, East Moriches, N. Y. 



Why do dahlias run to foliage? 



1. Early planting and too much watering 

 during hot spells. 



2. Often caused by planting too many 

 tubers in a hill and in many cases by over- 

 fertilizing when tubers are first set out. I 

 find that a large percentage of divided 

 stock sold is over-forced before the amateur 

 receives it and this in over half the in- 

 stances is without doubt the trouble more 

 than anything else. 



3. Too much dressing at time of planting. 

 Too early planting when the ground is 

 cold makes woody growth; then the 

 plants are all foliage and no flowers. 



4. In my experience, covering many 

 seasons, in different locations, with dif- 

 ferent soils and different conditions of 

 atmosphere as to inland and near the coast, 

 also with many and various ways of 

 using fertilizers, I have come to the 

 conclusion that there are two surely 

 proven reasons — first that the soil can 

 be too rich; and second, that the time of 

 planting has been altogether too early in 

 the spring. 



Why do cactus dahlias give good early 

 bloom and then peter out? 



1. For want of thinning out and feeding. 



2. Because they are planted too early. 

 May 30th is early enough to plant in 

 this section of Massachusetts. 



3. Because not fed as season advances, 

 and too little cultivation. 



4. Too rich soil and too early planting 

 give not only too profuse foliage, but a 

 mass of early bloom, with such loss of 

 vitality that the blossoms continually 

 grow smaller, imperfect, and less in evi- 

 dence. Again weather conditions are not 

 always what one could wish. 



What weather conditions make the most 

 favorable dahlia season? 



1. Damp weather and a little sunshine. 



2. Medium. The principal trouble with 

 amateurs is that they are very much 

 afraid to use a hoe around their plants 

 during the growth of them. 



3. Cool, cloudy weather. They bloom 

 best late in the fall. 



4. For full development of flower and 

 tuber, from planting to harvesting of 

 tubers, a rather even temperature, with 

 now and then a shower, but neither too 

 wet nor too dry. 



What soil is best for dahlias ? 



1. Any kind with rock or clay founda- 

 tion. 



2. Any soil is suitable. We have dahlias 

 growing on all kinds of land. If grown 

 on heavy soil, it is not wise to use much 



Stable dressing. It is much better to USe Dahlias as annuals. Sow seed in April, and in September you can have plants like these 





