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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. 



PREPARING- THE GROUND. 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. 



PLANTING. 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 

 oenters to promote branching growth. 



FOR 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. 



CURING AND STORING. 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. 



FROM SEED. 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 36. 



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. 



City of Trenton. One of the finest clear 

 salmon Dahlias. Plants very vigorous. 

 75c each. 



Eliza Clark Bull (Decorative). Fine, big. 



pure glistening white; one of the best of 



this color ever introduced. 50c each. 

 Florence Finger. (Decorative). Clear, deep 



pink. Finely formed flowers on long 



stems. 50c each. 



Jane Cowl (Decorative). Flowers are pos- 

 itively huge in size, bronzy buff and gold 

 shading to a deeper tone at the center. 

 Plants are strong and vigorous with 

 leathery foliage that insects do not like. 

 50c each. 



Jersey's Beauty (Decorative). The finest pink 

 Decorative Dahlia ever introduced. Color 

 is a rich clear glowing pink. Flowers are 

 of large size and held erect on long, strong- 

 stems. 50c each. 



Jersey's King (Decorative). Strong plants 

 bearing their rich red flowers on strong 

 stems. 50c each. 



Judge Snyder (Decorative). Superfine, deep 

 velvety crimson blooms. Very free flower- 

 ing. $1.00 each. 



King Midas (Hybrid Cactus). Fine pure 

 deep yellow. Blooms are perfectly formed 

 and borne on strong stems. 75c each. 



Lady Iiyndora. Lavender-pink, extra large 

 blooms borne on long, strong stems. 75c 

 each. 



Margaret Wilson. Plants are strong with 

 dark green foliage. Blooms large and a de- 

 lightful opalescent pink in color. 75c each. 



Marmion. Golden yellow with bronze on re- 

 verse side of petals. Extra large and extra 

 fine. 75c each. 



Mrs. A. B. Seal. One of California's finest. 

 Beautiful deep pink blooms. 75c each. 



Mrs. I. De Ver Warner (Decorative). Clear 

 orchid or mauve-pink, and one of the most 

 satisfactory of the large Decorative Dah- 

 lias to grow. 50c each. 



Sagamore (Decorative). One of the best cut 

 flower Dahlias as it has exceptional keep- 

 ing qualities. Light apricot shaded orange 

 towards the center. 50c each. 



Seal's California. The finest bronze Dahlia. 

 Flowers are immense in size, deep bronze 

 yellow. 75c each. 



Thomas Edison. A fine exhibition bloom. 

 Dark reddish purple, exquisite under arti- 

 ficial light. $1.00 each. 



Treasure Island (Decorative). One of the 

 newer and finer Dahlias. Immense coppery 

 bronze blooms. $1.00 each. 



No. 99. A new seedling having all the fine 

 characteristics of Jersey's Beauty, but 

 several shades darker. $1.00 each. 



Pompon Dahlias 



A distinct type of bloom, very attractive 

 for cut flowers. Flowers are 2 to 3 inches 

 across, nearly round, full double and petals 

 spaced to resemble a honeycomb. Very free 

 flowering and increasing in popularity from 

 year to year. 



Price, 25c each. 

 Dr. Jim. Purple. 



Darksome. Dark reddish maroon. 

 Golden Queen. Bright yellow. 

 Deader. Red and yellow. 

 Dittle Bella. Pink. 

 Snowclad. Pure snow-white. 



