April, 1920 Slower (Brower 
The Dahlia 
The Increasing Popularity 
of the Peony-Flowered Dahlia. 
This type, introduced in Holland less 
than twenty years ago, proves to be one 
of the most satisfactory classes of Dah- 
lias, especially because of its ability 
to blossom freely, and to produce its 
flowers on long stems. 
Among the most satisfactory and 
prominent of the earliest varieties origi- 
nated, that still remain as good as the 
most expensive, and some unsurpassed 
are Dr. Peary, a rich velvety wine-crim- 
son, Glory of Baarn of soft rose-pink 
with a golden yellow center. Queen 
Wilhelmina is undoubtedly the finest of 
the pure white sorts, with long curling 
petals or florets, giving a fluffy appear- 
ance. In pale yellow is Caecilia and in 
the deep golden yellows Caesar holds a 
prominent place. From England about 
six years ago came John Green, a golden 
yellow quickly changing to fiery scarlet, 
which attracts considerable attention, 
with its curled petals that are slightly 
quilled and more pointed than most of 
the Peony-flowered varieties. 
P. W. Jansen one of the first, and 
still unsurpassed, leads all the varieties 
with a combination of autumn shades, 
salmon and yellow, in size and length 
of stem. 
One of the most attractive, which oc- 
casionally is nearly single is Frigolia, 
an American introduction, with an at- 
tractive blood red shade tipped white. 
In mauve shades are Sherlock Holmes 
and Zeppelin both of which are abun- 
dant flowering, and among the first 
from Holland. 
For a good scarlet Peony-flowered we 
have to come to the new Peony-flowered 
varieties of American origin, and the 
variety Carl Purdy from California 
seems to lead them all in my estima- 
tion. 
Bertha von Suttner of the salmon-pink 
shades has no rival as yet, and Geisha 
is still pride of them all. 
J. K. Alexander. 
Getting Dahlias Ready for Planting. 
With the opening up of Spring, we 
commence to think of preparing for 
planting. 
Most amateurs keep their Dahlias 
during the Winter in clump form, so 
during the month of April, it is well to 
prepare for planting. 
If the clumps have not already com- 
menced to show sprouts, it is well to 
heel them in; either in your hot-bed, in 
the cellar, or in the open ground. 
They will commence to absorb mois- 
ture, and very shortly the sprouts will 
commence to show. 
After sprouts show, the tubers can 
be separated, with a sharp knife. Only 
one tuber should be planted in a hill, 
so be sure to separate leaving but one 
tuber. 
My article in the May issue will tell 
those who do not understand, the best 
way to separate the Dahlia clumps- 
An illustration will appear showing 
how. J. K. Alexander. 
To Induce Dahlia Bloom. 
I find that growers of Dahlias are some- 
times disappointed because they do not get 
the blooms that they think they should have. 
This is due to natural causes, which the 
grower brings about very often by not know- 
ing the conditions required to produce the 
blooms. One fault is too early planting ; 
another difficulty is an extreme hot spell in 
early summer, which causes a small, poor 
growth and hardens the blooming wood. In 
a case of this kind, nothing but small, poor, 
deformed flowers, if any, can be expected. 
This can be remedied in most cases by 
cutting the plant hard back early in July ; 
the plant will then quickly produce a new 
strong growth and good blooms can be 
looked for. 
Late this autumn a well known florist 
asked me to make a trip to his place and tell 
him what was the matter with his Dahlias. 
I went with him, and as soon as I arrived 
near the field I could easily see the trouble. 
They had been planted extra early, the 
blooms for use had beep cut with short 
stems, especially the white ones for design 
work, which helped to increase the small 
growth. 
As it was too late to help this season, I ad- 
vised him to cut back another season in early 
summer, and in cutting the flowers to always 
cut long stems, and shorten to suit after- 
wards. My advice to all growers is to not 
be afraid to use the knife as by so doing 
shorter and bushier plants can be grown. 
We see lots of them with two feet or more 
bare stems around the plant while the top is 
away up in the air. This can be avoided if 
the plants are shortened in time. — Richard 
Vincent, Jr., in Bulletin of American Dahlia 
Society. 
Dahlia— IT. W. Rawson. 
(Subject of illustration on front cover page.) 
W. W. Rawson, Giant-flowering or 
Colossal Dahlia, was originated by Mr. 
A. E. Johnson of Brockton, Massa- 
chusetts, about ten years ago. It was 
purchased by the W. W. Rawson Co., 
of Boston, who saw its possibilities 
when first exhibited as a seedling un- 
der the name of Annie Bird. It was 
first exhibited at the exhibition of the 
New England Dahlia Society, at its 
Fall exhibition in Horticultural Hall, 
Boston, Mass. 
This Dahlia was introduced by the 
W. W. Rawson Co. who offered it for 
sale at retail, but its wholesale distri- 
bution is due to J. K. Alexander, of 
East Bridgewater, Mass., who acquired 
a stalk of it when under the name of 
Annie Bird, and offered it for sale 
later, after it was introduced by the 
Rawson Company, to his florist and 
seedsmen customers throughout the 
United States. 
It is popular in all parts of this 
country, and now appears in French 
and English catalogues. 
The color is pure white overlaid with 
amethyst-blue. This combination of 
colors gives the first impression of a 
delicate lavender. 
59 
It has long stems, is of large size 
and is free-flowering. Flowers measure 
from 7 to 9 inches in diameter. 
Over Propagation of Dahlias. 
“ I wish to take advantage of this oppor- 
tunity to bring before this Society for con- 
sideration an evil that is gaining practice 
and that will mitigate against the popularity 
of the Dahlia if persisted in. I refer to the 
over-propagation of new seedlings, resulting 
in much weakened plants. A grower pro- 
duces a fine new Dahlia, the second year it 
improves and he has several plants that 
produce beautiful flowers. In his haste to 
get up a stock the plants are over-propa- 
gated.”— William J. Rathgeber at the last 
meeting of the American Dahlia Society. 
j American Dahlia Society. I 
AUTUMN SHOW— EXECU- 
TIVE COMMITTEE MEETING. 
At the meeting of the Executive com- 
mittee of the American Dahlia Society 
held at the International Flower Show 
in the Grand Central Palace, New York, 
March 19, it was decided to hold the 
autumn show in New York during 
September at one of the centrally lo- 
cated hotels and to charge exhibitors a 
reasonable price for floor space and to 
also charge admission, to defray the 
expenses. 
The meeting was attended by grow- 
ers from many States and considerable 
space was taken by those present at 
the meeting and a substantial guar- 
antee fund was started. 
The plan is to give the greatest 
Dahlia show ever held and work to that 
end has already been started and will 
be prosecuted vigorously and contin- 
uously until show time. Every Dahlia 
grower and lover of this popular flower 
is invited to co-operate. 
President Vincent moved that Prof. 
George Fraser of the Connecticut State 
Agricultural College, Storrs, Conn., be 
tendered the thanks of the Society for 
the excellent manner in which the trial 
grounds were conducted last year, 
which was carried and Prof. Fraser 
was made a life member of the Society. 
The trial grounds will be continued 
and will be larger and better than ever. 
Tubers for the trial gardens should be 
properly labeled with the name of the 
variety and exhibitor and sent to Prof. 
George Fraser. Last year there were 
many visitors throughout the season 
and as the trial grounds are recognized 
as a permanent institution there will be 
more visitors this year than ever. 
James Duthie, Oyster Bay, N. Y., 
moved that a new scale of points be 
made so that good exhibition varie- 
ties and varieties good for cut flowers 
be given an equal chance. The motion 
was carried. 
A motion was passed protesting the 
quarantine of the States of Illinois and 
Michigan against Dahlia tubers and 
bulbs. 
Let Dahlia growers everywhere, ama- 
teurs as well as professionals, begin 
now in the effort to make this the great- 
est exhibition of any single flower ever 
held. Edward C. Vick, Sec’y. 
