| FOR BOTH AMATEUR AND PROFESSIONAL 
I GROWERS OF THE GLADIOLUS, DAHLIA, IRIS, ETC. 
| Entered as second-class matter March 31, 1914, at post office at 
| Calcium, N.Y., under act of March 3, 1879. 
1 PUBLISHED MONTHLY ON THE FIRST OF THE I 
1 MONTH BY MADISON COOPER, CALCIUM, N. Y. j 
Subscription price : Three years, $2.00 ; One year, $1.00. 
June Dahlia Notes. 
[fVritton expressly for The Fltwer Grower . ] BY J. K. ALEXANDER. 
T O HAVE a successful Dahlia 
garden it is just as necessary to 
care for the plants properly, as to 
plant the tubers correctly. Culti- 
v a t i o n should be com- 
menced as soon as the plant 
comes through the ground, 
so that the growth of the 
plant will not be checked by 
the formation of a crust. 
Hoe around the plants once 
each week until they com- 
mence to blossom. Give 
thoroughcultivation.deepat 
first, gradually decreasing, 
until flowering time. After 
they commence to blossom, 
do not cultivate, as then is 
the time the new roots are 
forming and you are apt to 
cut off the new tubers, 
weakening the growth of 
the plant. 
Do not fail to stir the 
soil after each rain, keeping 
the soil from forming a 
crust on the surface or 
baking, and conserving the 
moisture in the soil, thus 
avoiding the necessity of 
watering. 
As the shoot or plant 
commences to show itself 
above ground, care should 
be taken at this time for 
the prevention of cut worms 
and other pests that destroy 
the young shoots. I recom- 
mend any of the following 
as the best preventives : 
Vermine, Aphol, Cut-worm 
food or Tobacco Dust. To- 
bacco Dust does not destroy 
these pests, but seems to 
keep them away. 
As soon as the pilant at- 
tains a height of eight or 
ten inches, it is the time to 
commence to “ train ” your plants. 
There are three distinct systems from 
which you must choose : The staking 
system, the branching method or the 
massing system. 
The staking system is probably the 
most popular, many amateurs finding 
it the most successful. Dahlias under 
this system should be planted between 
two and four feet apart, according 
to the amount of space you have to 
devote to them ; the further apart, the 
more robust the plants grow. As soon 
as the plants attain a height of from 
eighteen inches to two feet, 
they should be secured to 
the stakes, thus protecting 
them, and preventing the 
brittle stalks from being 
blown over or getting 
broken off. Any soft twine 
or raffia is good to use in 
tying the plants to the 
stakes. 
The branching method is 
a system advocated by 
many professional growers, 
and does away with staking. 
Plant tubers in hills or drills 
from eighteen to thirty 
inches apart. As soon as 
the plant has two sets of 
leaves, pinch out or cut 
off the whole top of the 
plant. At each leaf a branch 
will start thus making four 
branches, one at each leaf. 
Do not pinch out the top 
but once, as by pinching 
out makes your plants two 
weeks later in flowering. 
The advantage of this 
method is that your plant 
has four flower stalks, in- 
stead of one by ordinary 
ways, each of which blossom 
equal to the one. When 
the plant is grown it will 
have a short, strong, single 
stalk, which comes an inch 
or two above ground, with 
four branches of flowering 
stalks. The plants are more 
dwarf, having a neat 
branching appearance, the 
branches being self-sup- 
porting, not easily blown 
over by the winds. 
The massing system I use for field 
culture, avoiding the extra labor and 
expense of staking, and the woodeny 
DAHLIA — ROSE GEM. 
Originated in Holland, and received the Award of Merit at the Dahlia 
Trials in 1916, was introduced in 1917 by Warnaar & Company, of Sassen 
heim, Holland. In 1918, J. K. Alexander, of East Bridgewater, Mass., imported 
it, and exhibited it in 1919 at both the exhibition of the Massachusetts Horti- 
cultural Society in Horticultural Hall, Boston, Mass., and at exhibition of 
Connecticut Fair. Hartford, Conn., in collection of twelve best Peony- 
flowered Dahlias, the collection winning first premium in both instances. 
Rose Gem is a Dahlia of good habit, long stiff stems, produces its flowers 
in abundance, and is the finest delicate pink Peony-flowered Dahlia yet in- 
troduced. Early in the season it resembles Bertha Von Snttner in shape. 
The above photograph was taken just before frost this past Fall. 
