There are two large dahlia gardens in "Westerly, six miles 
from Weekapaug, where one has the opportunity of studying 
professional methods. Mrs. Otis Chapman's gardens are full 
of beautiful flowers and her plants are tended with greatest 
care. I think her single dahlias are especially lovely. The 
Bride, a large ivory white, Newport Pink and Newport Cream, 
a soft yellow, are much to be desired. 
I plant my tubers about May 30th. The stakes are set 
first, three feet apart, and each hole dug six inches deep, with 
a handful of ground bone mixed in. The tuber is placed in the 
hole on its side and covered with two or three inches of soil. 
As the sprout comes above the ground, more soil is thrown on 
lightly until the whole is level with the surface. Dahlias 
should be cut back to one or two main stalks. The professional 
growers in Westerly cut out all but one and strip the leaves 
at the base of each plant for about a foot to admit sun and air. 
It is very important that the plants have the maximum of 
sun. I have never had the requisite moral courage to cut back 
all my plants to one main stalk, as sometimes accidents happen 
to a stock and then your treasure is gone. Too much emphasis 
cannot be laid on deep hoeing until the buds are set ; this takes 
the place of watering. Artificial watering tends to fine foliage 
and few flowers. Mrs. Chapman told me that she only waters 
in times of prolonged drought. 
But Mr. Stillman, who grows acres of dahlias on the Shore 
Road towards Watch Hill, says in his catalogue: "Watering 
is one of the most essential things in producing perfect blooms 
on your dahlias. Ninety per cent, of the failures in growing 
dahlias is due to lack of water when the hot days of summer 
come. The best method of watering is to make a basin shaped 
mound of earth around the plant two feet in diameter and into 
this basin turn three or four pails of water every few days." 
Yet his plants are never watered artificially but rely for their 
moisture entirely on rain and cultivation. In the first place 
there is no water near his dahlia gardens and, furthermore, 
it would take an army of workers to water thousands of plants 
in the manner he describes. Each year his plants have 
beautiful blooms, showing the success of his methods which do 
not include artificial watering in a normal season. 
During a prolonged drought I water my dahlias by remov- 
ing the nozzle from the hose and letting the water run until 
tlie beds are thoroughly soaked. When the plant is a foot high, 
it is time to begin tying to the stake. Most plants need tying 
four or five times. This is an arduous task but very necessary 
and particularly at the seashore, where a northeaster is always 
ready to swoop down and wreck j^our treasures. AVhen your 
efforts have been rewarded by a profusion of flowers, cut the 
blooms with long stems. This is good for the plants though it 
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