THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA 
191 
over a period of drouth, a thorough soaking at weekly 
or ten-day intervals should be the method, rather than 
more frequent sprinklings. 
On the sandy soils, it is frequently necessary to use 
nitrogenous fertilizers and phosphoric acid to rein- 
force the natural fertility ; but on heavier types nitro- 
gen should usually be applied sparingly, if at all — 
and then just before blooming time — lest the foliage 
be stimulated and the plants go "all to leaves," and 
few blossoms result. It is really surprising to see 
what a profusion of bloom is often produced on ap- 
parently poor soils without additional fertilizing. On 
any soil the preliminary plowing and other treatment 
should be deep and thorough, so that the tuber or the 
roots of the plants may be placed five or six inches 
below the surface, with as much or more depth of 
loosened soil below to allow plenty of feeding ground 
for the roots and room for the formation of new 
tubers. 
The summer cultivation of the dahlia is simple. 
The surface should be kept thoroughly stirred to 
hold moisture and to keep down weeds during the 
early growth of the plants, turning the soil toward 
the rows at the last in order to keep the tubers well 
covered. 
The clumps of tubers produced in any season are 
stored over winter in some cool, moderately dry place ; 
and divided when the buds or eyes begin to show in 
the spring — in March, April or May, according to the 
temperature maintained in the storage room. It is 
not wise to divide until the buds show ; as the dahlia 
tubers are unlike potatoes or sweet potatoes since 
the eyes are not on the tuber, but on a collar or neck 
which joins the tuber to the stem, or even on the 
stem itself; and division before the eyes can be seen 
is liable to leave tubers without eyes and eyes without 
tubers — the first absolutely useless and the second 
practicallv so, though expert forcing-house treatment 
will occasionally secure a plant from an eye or sprout 
on a small piece of stem. If eyes are numerous as 
compared with the number of tubers it is well to leave 
two eyes on each tuber where possible, in order to 
provide for accidents ; but when finally in place in 
the field one bud to produce one good strong stem to 
a tuber is much better than more. Some recommend 
planting the whole clump or half of it to secure added 
vigor, but the care and constant attention necessary 
in such cases to keep down additional stems from the 
buds left is usually not given and a plant results with 
from two to a dozen stems, none of which will give a 
satisfactory blossom. One stalk only in a place is best. 
In the field, each tuber should be laid on its side, 
at the bottom of a hole or furrow deep enough so 
that the bud or sprout will be five or six inches below 
the surface. Cover only two inches or so at first, 
particularly in heavy soil, and fill in as the plant grows. 
The dahlia makes a large plant and must be given 
plenty of room. A very few varieties will allow set- 
ting 2y 2 x 2^ feet, or 2J4 feet in the row in field cul- 
ture with rows 3 or 4 feet apart ; but the great ma- 
jority of the kinds should not be set closer than 4 by 
4 feet if the grower expects to work round them at 
all during late summer, or to have ready access to 
them for gathering the flowers ; and with some kinds 
4 by 5 feet or even 5 by 5 i? advisable for greatest 
convenience. 
If plants are grown normally some system of 
staking or supporting with wires is almost essential 
to prevent severe damage from storms. If the tubers 
or plants are set deeply, so that the lower part of the 
stem is firmly held by the soil, and a good stocky 
growth is secured, the unsupported plants do fairly 
well ; but under many conditions the side branches 
split off and lie on the ground so that the flowers are 
not well displayed. 
To secure specially large flowers, thinning and dis- 
budding are necessary, particularly with the show and 
fancy types, which normally blossom too freely to 
produce flowers of maximum size. If such blooms 
are desired, the center bud should be left and not 
more than six or eight side branches should be allowed 
to grow, both stem and branches being supported by 
tying to stakes or wires. All second shoots on the 
side branches should be pinched out except a few 
near the terminal bud to continue the flowering after 
the large blossoms have been removed. The same 
practice may be followed with the decorative and 
peony-flowered types, but as these are usually not 
quite so free blooming as the ball-shaped types, it is 
not generally considered necessary. When severe dis- 
budding is done, by growing to practically a single 
stem, as with exhibition chrysanthemums, some huge 
blossoms are secured, yet without coarseness. Cactus 
dahlias also may be increased in size by judicious dis- 
budding, but unless the flowers are for exhibition this 
is hardly an advantage, as many cactus varieties have 
too much of the "bashful," nodding habit, wdiich extra 
large size of blossoms may intensify. Single dahlias, 
except with a few large sorts of the Century type, 
collarettes, and pompons, are seldom or never dis- 
budded, but the plants are allowed to branch and 
flower as freely as possible to make attractive garden 
specimens. 
In cutting for bouquets or other floral uses, the 
work should not be done in the middle of the day, but 
preferably in the morning, or in the evening. The 
cut flowers should be "hardened" by removing much 
of the foliage from the stems, immersing these almost 
to the blossom in water and keeping them in a cool 
place until the first wilting due to the cutting has 
disappeared. With hard-stemmed kinds there is an 
apparent advantage in placing the stems first in water 
nearly as hot as the hand will bear, allowing them to 
remain until the water has cooled and then removing 
to fresh cold water to which a teaspoonful of salt to a 
gallon has been added. Water not quite so warm 
should be used with softer-stemmed flowers. 
With many varieties of dahlias sacrifice of buds is 
often necessary in order to secure satisfactory stems ; 
but is ordinarily not to be deplored, since the dahlia 
responds very promptly and freely to such trimming 
and renews the show of flowers quickly if the plants 
are in good condition. In all cases it is desirable to 
remove withered and old flowers before seed forma- 
tion. 
All dahlia blossoms should be cut before they have 
quite reached their best, unless for exhibition, and 
singles, which are quite short-lived, should be taken 
before they are fully unfolded, to insure satisfactory 
retention of petals. The pompon, show and fancy 
types last longest after cutting, although many of 
the decoratives are excellent in this regard and some 
of the cactus and peony-flowered types. The singles 
are not good for continuous use in bouquets as the 
petals drop soon after cutting, if fully opened flowers 
are chosen. The beauty and daintiness of these flow- 
ers render them admirable, however, for vase decora- 
tion ; and their freedom of bloom makes the frequent 
refilling of the vases in home decoration very easy. 
(Continued on page 201.) 
