228 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



Mat, 1911 



A "show" bloom, regularly auilled. A "fancy" 

 is similar but with tips darker than base 



a little ground bone meal or some good 

 fish and potash fertilizer. 



3. Very light, porous soil, with good 

 drainage. 



4. Sandy loam. 



What condition of soil as to moisture? 

 1. Keep cultivating until beds are well 

 formed and then scuffle. 



3. Moist soil, but good drainage. When 

 watered with hose, should be cultivated 

 next day. 



4. Not so wet as one would suppose. 

 In fact, so long as not too dry would not 

 water artificially at all. 



What amount of 

 fertilizer will they 

 stand? 



1. At rate of one- 

 half pound bone- 

 meal to each plant 

 or one-half pail of 

 cow manure. 



2. Unwise to use 

 too much when 

 planting. A small 

 handful after cover- 

 ing the tuber is 

 enough. If stable 

 dressing is used it is 

 best to top-dress be- 

 fore the soil is 

 turned over. Noth- 

 ing else should be 

 used until plants are 

 a foot or two out of 

 the ground. Then 

 you can use as 

 much as you like 

 and nothing will 

 prevent getting fine 

 flowers. 



3. Not much 



The cactus type. The most modern varieties have 

 narrower petals with the ends sharply upcurved 



when planted. Feed as they grow, a little 

 every week or two. 



4. After repeated experiments with 

 special formulas and mixtures of chemicals, 

 commercial brands of fertilizers and stable 

 manures, I find nothing equals well- 

 rotted stable compost, and that not to be 

 used at any time during the season of 

 growth. This I thoroughly incorporate 

 in my fields every other season. I pro- 

 cure it by the carload in February, cart 

 it on the land at once and let it lie until 

 the frost comes out of the ground. In 

 early spring, as soon as possible, I plow 

 it under and use at the time of harrowing 



Grand Duke Alexis. The " decorative " class includes 

 flowers other than cactus, "show." etc. 



a dressing of acid phosphate, which is 

 thoroughly worked into the softened soil. 



What general culture do you advise? 



1. Dig soil deep four weeks before 

 planting. 



2. We cultivate about twice a week 

 until the plants get so large we can not 

 get through with a horse, and after that 

 they flower without any trouble. 



3. Cultivate at least once a week; 

 twice if you can. 



4. I mark off my fields with a drag 

 corn harrow, allowing four feet between 

 rows. I furrow deep, using a heavy 2 -horse 



plow, going up and 

 down the same fur- 

 row, and then use a 

 narrow 1 -horse cul- 

 tivator, working the 

 furrow flat at bot- 

 tom. The tubers are 

 dropped two feet 

 apart in the furrow 

 and as near a true 

 line as possible, but 

 to get the best gar- 

 den blooms would 

 extend the distance 

 to three feet. 



What cultural dis- 

 tinctions , if any, 

 should be made as to 

 the several types of 

 dahlias? 



2. None. Use them 

 all alike. 



3. Same for all. 



4. I make no dis- 

 tinctions. 



In this backyard garden, chock-full of plants, some of the finest prize blooms of last year were cut 



What is the best 

 time to plant, stating 



