BECKERT SEED AND BULB COMPANY 



Exhibition Dahlias of Merit 



Decorative Dahlia. 



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. 



PRE PARING 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. 



FXtANTING. 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 tne 

 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. 



POR 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 20. 



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. 



Ambassador (Hybrid Cactus). A superb 

 new variety of largest size and finely 

 formed. Color yellow buff shaded with 

 delicate salmon pink. $1.00 each. 



Amun Ra (The Sun God). (Decorative). 

 Immense blooms, exquisitely formed. 

 Flowers are borne well above the deep 

 green foliage on long, sturdy stems. A 

 delightful blending from copper-orange on 

 the outer petals to rich, reddish bronze 

 at the center. 75c each. 



Champagne. (Decorative). A delightful 

 blending of autumnal shades from cha- 

 mois to burnished copper. Flowers are 

 extra large. $1.00 each. 



Dark Days. (Decorative). The darkest Dec- 

 orati\ e Dahlia. Large flowers, rich dark 

 maroon, almost black. Stems are long 

 and strong. $1.50 each. 



Gladys Sherwood (Hybrid Cactus). We 

 consider this the finest white Dahlia. 

 Flowers are of largest size, pure white, 

 borne on long stems and keep for a long 

 time in water. 75c each. 



Jersey 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. 



Kitty Dunlap. (Decorative). Mammoth 

 blooms of clear American Beauty pink. 

 A fine variety for exhibition purposes. 

 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 either for exhibition or for 



cut liowers. 75c each. 



Pennsylvania. (Decorative). Flowers are 

 large and borne on good stiff stems. Pet- 

 als are broad, rounding to pointed tips, 

 claret-red on the front and darker on 

 the back. $2.00 each. 



Rodman Wanamaker. (Decorative). Another 

 fine Dahlia for autumnal shades. Lemon 

 yellow in the bud, but deepening to golden 

 and bronzy salmon as the flower opens. 

 $1.50 each. 



Shelton's Burnt Orange. (Decorative). Daz- 

 zling scarlet-orange. Curled and twisted 

 petals with backs of gold and amber; a 

 delightful contrast. $1.50 each. 



West Virginia. Hybrid Cactus). Glowing 

 cardinal red flower of large size. Plants 

 are strong and vigorous and bear more 

 flowers on good stems than any variety 

 we have seen. $1.00 each. 



U. S. A. (Decorative). Magnificent blooms 

 borne on long stems above the foliage. 

 The large flowers are a striking blending 

 of orange and gold. $1.00 each. 



Exhibition Collection 

 $12.00 



This collection includes one strong 

 tuber of each of the above Exhibition 

 Dahlias, and is the finest assortment we 

 have ever offered. 



