70 



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 g-arden 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 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. 



FIiAITTIlTG. 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. 



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 

 \arieties on page 43. 



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. 



Fashful Giant (Decorative). Immense 

 blooms 10 to 12 inches across. Fine 

 apricot-yellow shaded with golden orange. 

 75c each. 



Bob Flues (Cactus). A unique and distinc- 

 tive bloom. Flowers are blood-red, with 

 each petal tipped with white. 60c each. 



Carmencita (Decorative). Very free bloom- 

 ing and extra large. Flowers are golden 

 yellow splashed with red. Strong grow- 

 er. 75c each. 



Cig'arette (Cactus). Very large with long 

 l^etals, bright scarh-t tipped with white. 

 tiOc each. 



Daddy Butler (Hybrid Cactus). Drilliant 

 rosy carmine, the color of an American 

 Beauty rose. Flowers are borne on long, 

 .strong .stems. 50c each. 



Gladys Bates (Cactus). Front of petals 

 light tan, rose on the reverse. Free 

 l)looming and long stemmed. 50c each. 



Gladys Sherwood (Hybrid Cactus). We con- 

 sider th.is one of the finest white Dahlias. 

 Flower.s are of largest size, pure white, 

 borne on long stems and keep for a long 

 time in water. 75c each. 



Hercules (Decorative). A charming com- 

 bination of yellow and tangerine-orange; 

 very brilliant. Plants are strong and 

 \igorous and borne on long stems. 75c 

 each. 



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

 orchid or mau\ e-pink, and one of the most 

 satisfactory of the large Decorative Dah- 

 lias to grow either for exhibition or for 

 cut flowers. 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. 75c each. 



Jersey's Sovereig-n (Decorative). A delight- 

 ful blending of salmon-orange and white. 

 Flowers are large and borne on long 

 stems. 75c each. 



Sasramore (Decorative). One of the best cut 

 flower Dahlias as it has exceptional keep- 

 ing qualities. Light apricot shaded or- 

 ange towards the center. 75c 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. 



Frice, 25c each. 

 Amber Oueen. Amber. 

 Cheerfulness. Bright yellow. 

 Darksome. Dark reddish maroon. 

 Iiove Joy. Pink. 

 Little Bessie. Pure snow-white. 

 Mayclift. :Maroon. 



Pompon Collection $2,00 



This special collection includes two 

 strong tubers of each of the above Pom- 

 pon Dahlias. Enough to keep your table 

 well supplied with cut flowers from late 

 Summer until frost. 



