72 



BECKERT SEED AND BULB COMPANY 



Exhibition Dahlias 



Bashful Giant. 



The present great popularity of Dahlias is 

 well deserved. They have a beauty and 

 variety of form and color unequaled by any 

 other flower and are adaptable to practically 

 all garden schemes from a single plant in a 

 small garden to veritable hedges in the more 

 expansive gardens. Even beginners have 

 wonderful results, while the more experi- 

 enced gardeners are amply repaid by the 

 additional size and beauty of blooms result- 

 ing from their expert care and attention. 

 Dahlias are easy to grow in almost any 

 soil, the two main requirements being plenty 

 of sunlight and water. 



FBEFARING THE GBOUKD. Dahlias 

 delight in a light, friable, loamy soil, en- 

 riched with well-rotted stable manure. 

 Spade the ground full depth of the top soil 

 and be sure that manure is thoroughly 

 mixed with soil. 



FIiANTING-. Tubers may be started in- 

 doors in boxes in April for later transplant- 

 ing or planted outdoors from about the 

 middle of May to the end of June. Lay the 

 tubers flat, about 6 inches deep and 2 to 3 

 feet apart in the row. 



GROWING-. Do not permit more than two 

 or three shoots to grow from a root, and 

 when shoots are 2 feet high, pinch out the 

 centers to promote branching growth. 



FOB EXHIBITION. Permit only a single 

 stem to grow from a root and cut off about 

 half the lateral branches. Treated in this 

 manner the plant will not only give larger 

 flowers but they will all have full centers. 



CUBING AND STOBING. When the foli- 

 age has been killed by Fall frosts, dig the 

 roots, shake off as much soil as possible, 

 and cut off all but 2 to 3 inches of the stems. 

 Store the roots in a cool, dry place, stems 

 down. It is not necessary to cover them 

 with soil or ashes. We offer only standard 

 divisions of dormant tubers. 



FBOM SBBD. Dahlias are as easy to raise 

 from seed as cabbage or tomatoes, and many 

 interesting and profitable varieties may be 

 produced. We offer seed of the choicest 

 varieties on page 42. 



Our Exhibition Dahlias include the best of 

 the newer varieties. Each has been selected 

 for real merit in comparison with a large 

 number of other recent introductions. Con- 



sidering size of blooms, coloring and robust 

 growth, they all belong at the top of their 

 classes. We supply good strong divisions 

 of dormant tubers. 



Bashful Giant (Decorative). Immense 

 blooms 10 to 12 inches across. Fine 

 apricot-yellow shaded with golden orange. 

 75c each. 



Bonnie Brae (Decorative). A delightful com- 

 bination of rose and cream. Large flow- 

 ers on long, slender but strong stems. 

 75c each. 



Carmencita (Decorative). Very free bloom- 

 ing and extra large. Flowers are golden 

 yellow splashed with red. Strong grow- 

 er. 75c each. 



Daddy Butler (Hybrid Cactus). Brilliant 

 rosy carmine, the color of an American 

 Beauty rose. Flowers are borne on long, 

 strong stems. 75c each. 



Elite Glory (Decorative). One of the better 

 Dahlias. Flowers are enormous, often 12 

 inches across and bright red in color. 

 $2.00 each. 



Eliza Clark Bull (Decorative). Fine, big, 

 pure glistening white; one of the best of 

 this color ever introduced. $2.00 each. 



Hercules (Decorative). A charming com- 

 bination of yellow and tangerine-orange; 

 very brilliant. Plants are strong and 

 vigorous and borne on long stems. $1.00 

 each. 



Islam Patrol (Hybrid Cactus). Bright glow- 

 ing scarlet blending into golden orange at 

 the tips and edges of petals. Strong stems. 

 $1.00 each. 



Jersey's Beauty (Decorative). The finest pihk 

 Decorative Dahlia ever introduced. Color 

 is a rich clear glowing pink. Flowers are 

 of large size and held erect on long, strong 

 stems. 75c each. 



World's Best White (Hybrid Cactus). A 

 superb bloom of remarkable purity. Flow- 

 ers keep better when cut than any other 

 white. Fine for exhibition. 75c each. 



Jersey's Beauty. 



