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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 TEE 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 

 centers to promote branching growth. 



TOR 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. 



Cigarette (Cactus). Very large with long 

 petals, bright scarlet tipped with white. 

 50c each. 



Champagne. A delightful blending of au- 

 tumnal shades from chamois to burnished 

 copper. Flowers are extra large. 50c each. 



Daddy Butler (Hybrid Cactus). Brilliant 

 rosy carmine, the color of an American 

 Beauty rose. 50c each. 



Elite Glory (Decorative). One of the better 

 Dahlias. Flowers are enormous, often 12 

 inches across and bright red in color. 50c 

 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. 



Gladys Sherwood (Hybrid Cactus). We con- 

 sider this one of the finest white Dahlias. 

 Flowers are of largest size, pure white, 

 borne on long stems and keep for a long 

 time in water. 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. 



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. 



Papillion (Hybrid Cactus). One of the fin- 

 est Hybrid Cactus Dahlias. Flowers are 

 large and clear salmon-pink in color. 50c 

 each. 



Roman Eagle (Decorative). Extra large ex- 

 hibition bloom, golden bronze in color. 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. 



Treasure Island (Decorative). One of the 

 newer and finer Dahlias. Immense coppery 

 bronze blooms. $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. 

 Amber Queen. Amber. 

 Cheerfulness. Bright yellow. 

 Darksome. Dark reddish maroon. 

 Love Joy. Pink. 

 Little Bessie. Pure snow-white. 

 Mayclift. Maroon. 



