86 
Ol)£ Slower (Brower 
effect of the stakes. Tubers are planted 
in rows, from ten inches to two feet 
apart, and when grown make solid 
rows, each plant being so near they 
support and protect the other. Solid 
rows of one color make a very good 
showing under this method. 
In many localities Dahlias are in- 
fested with small green flies and bugs, 
so at the height of eighteen inches it 
is well to prepare to keep these pests 
away. An occasional spraying of any 
of the well known insecticides will 
destroy and keep these pests away. 
Most any of the following are obtain- 
able locally, and are the most effective 
preventives : Arsenate of Lead, nico- 
fume liquid, nicotine, tobakine, whale 
oil soap solution, or any of the other 
well known sprays. 
Both wood ashes and lime are good 
at all times, and in addition to being 
good fertilizers, are effective against 
insect pests. 
THE DAHLIA 
Value of Dahlia Trial Gardens. 
By Geo. W. Fraser. 
[Written expressly for The Flower Grower. ] 
The value of trial gardens to the 
amateur and professional grower can- 
not be overestimated for both derive 
many benefits from them. By visiting 
the gardens they see the varieties 
growing in competition with others 
and are better able to discriminate be- 
tween them. They see the habits of 
growth, color, size and type of bloom 
and any other advantages or disad- 
vantages that the varieties may possess 
and can judge better whether the varie- 
ties will suit their purposes than by a 
catalogue description or by viewing 
the blooms at the shows. 
Every year thousands of people visit 
the Rose Society’s Trial Gardens at 
Elizabeth Park, Hartford, Conn., and 
I am sure that all feel well repaid for 
their visit. The nurserymen benefit 
by the orders received from visitors to 
the garden. 
Last year hundreds of visitors from 
all over New England and other states, 
some from as far as Colorado and Ne- 
braska, visited the American Dahlia 
Society’s Trial Gardens at the Con- 
necticut Agricultural College, Storrs, 
Conn., and were very much impressed 
with the beautiful display of Dahlias. 
Many who were never Dahlia lovers 
before got converted to them and are 
going to try their hand at growing 
some this year as they now appreciate 
how useful the Dahlia is for garden 
and house decoration. 
From the correspondence I have had 
from Dahlia lovers all over the country 
I am sure that a great stimulus to the 
trade can be obtained in this way and 
this is where the professional grower 
benefits. In addition to having their 
own creations tested, it is a splendid 
opportunity for bringing before the 
public the best they have in novelties. 
The name of the grower as well as 
of the variety is posted conspicuously 
on the stake and in this way the public 
can see for themselves what the variety 
looks like and if it suits their tastes 
they can get in communication with 
the growers. 
The varieties described in the following 
notes are those that showed promise in the 
Trial Gardens of the American Dahlia So- 
ciety, conducted last year at the Connecticut 
Agricultural College at Storrs. In this list I 
have mentioned only those that are on the 
market ; or are likely to be soon. There 
were several other splendid varieties that 
received the certificate of merit that were 
entered by amateurs and private growers, 
some under number, so I doubt if they will 
be on the market this season. All the va- 
rieties are free flowering, and were grown 
without disbudding so should make large 
flowers, if disbudded, for exhibition pur- 
poses. Those marked with a * received the 
Society’s Certificate of Merit : 
* Geo. L. Mastick — (M. G. Tyler. Portland. Oregon.) 
A large crimson-purple duplex, that is very at- 
tractive and shows up well in the garden — 5 ft. 
* Amy Robsart- (Tyler.) Peony. Immense flower of 
orange-scarlet color suffused with red, on good 
stems ; worthy of a place in any garden, or for 
exhibition. 
Fantastique— (Tyler.) A very odd and attractive 
variety ; the color is a deep maroon, with white 
edges and tips ; the petals twist in a tortuous 
fashion. A very remarkable variety— 6 ft. 
* Quentin Ourward—( Tyler.) Peony, bicolor crimson- 
yellow, another large flower suitable for garden 
or exhibition purposes. 
Frans Ludwig— (K. Van Bourgondien, Babylon. L. I., 
N. Y. ) Decorative— a fine medium sized flower 
of lavender pink color, that will make a fine ad- 
dition to the garden for bedding, or cut flower. 
It is dwarf and a continuous bloomer— 21/2 ft. 
* Esther Lynn— (C. C. Morse Co., San Francisco, Cali- 
fornia. * Decorative. A fine variety of a very 
pleasing burnt orange color, on long stems good 
for cutting, garden or exhibition— 5 ft. 
* Splendid (Nathan Miller, Branford, Ct.) Cactus 
Hybrid, a pure white variety that everybody ad- 
mires. Fine for garden and exhibition- 4 feet. 
This variety obtained creditable mention by the 
California Dahlia Society. 
* Lavender Pink , now named Mrs. Carl Salback— 
(Carl Salback, Oakland, Cal.) Decorative. A 
large flower on long stiff stems of a pleasing 
shade of lavender pink ; this variety will make 
a name for itself wherever shown - 4-5 feet. This 
variety obtained highest honors at the California 
Society's Trial Gardens, 1919. 
* Lady Helen— ( G. L. Stillman, Westerly, R. I.) Cactus 
Hybrid. This is another large flower the color 
of which is a deep pink with cream tips, on long 
stems, should make a good garden or exhibition 
variety— 5-6 feet. 
* King of Shows— (Stillman.) A very free flowering 
show variety of a deep butter yellow. Its long 
stems make it fine for cut flowers as well as for 
exhibition purposes— 5-6 ft. 
* Perfect Beauty— (Stillman.) Decorative. Here is a 
variety that will please those that like to have 
something odd and novel in their gardens. The 
red petals tipped with white make a very striking 
plant— 4 feet. 
* Aquitania— (Stillman.) This Cactus Hybrid will 
make a fine addition to the collection. It has im- 
mense flowers of a deep salmon pink, on long 
stems— 5-6 feet. 
* Catherine Wilcox - (Stillman.) This is a dwarf dec- 
orative variety that ought to make good for cut 
flower as well as for the garden and exhibition. 
Color white with lavender shading — 2-3 ft. 
* George E. AIIing-(C. Louis Ailing, West Haven, Ct.) 
If you want a good clear, lemon yellow Peony, 
for cutting, this variety will please you. The 
color is all that could be desired, and it flowers 
freely— 4-5 ft. 
* Margaret Douglas -( A. W. Davison. Ansonia, Ct.) 
Decorative. This variety resembles Esther Lynn 
but the color is a deeper shade of burnt or- 
ange. Very free flowering, and good stem— 4-5 ft. 
Dahlia Hints. 
The Dahlia is a gross feeder and to 
get best results the soil should be plowed 
or spaded 8 to 10 in. deep and a good 
stable dressing or commercial fertilizer 
thoroughly worked into the soil, plant 
the bulbs in hills or furrows about 6 
inchesdeep, but when first planted cover 
with about 2 inches of soil and hoe the 
rest in around the plant as it grows. 
Don’t let more than one or two stalks 
grow and cut off the lower branches till 
June, 1920 
the plant is about two feet high. You 
get flowers earlier than you would if 
you pinch out the top, as some recom- 
mend, and by cutting the flowers con- 
stantly, with long stems, they keep 
blooming very profusely all through 
the fall. 
The Dahlia is very popular as a cut 
flower. If cut either in the morning or 
evening, put in cold water, the full 
length of the stems and left in a cool 
place for a few hours, they will keep 
finely. I have used them for floral and 
decorative work and they are always 
much admired. 
Mrs. H. M. Walker. 
Will Dahlia Bulb Growing for 
Chemical Purposes be Detri- 
mental to Commercial 
Dahlia Culture ? 
At last the Chemist has found the 
Dahlia tuber to be of worth as a food 
product. Some of our Dahlia growers 
welcomed the discovery as a general 
benefit to the trade, but will it have 
a good bearing on the flower? Bids 
have traveled around to grow tubers 
in large quantities for this purpose. 
Queries as to what varieties will pro- 
duce the largest bulbs have been dis- 
cussed. 
Now let us consider the matter in 
another light. Most of us are flower 
lovers. The Dahlia has become our 
hobby. To a real lover of flowers the 
smallest little flower has its significant 
beauty, the larger and georgeous cre- 
ates amazement. Many of the general 
growers are in the business just for 
the profit it gives them. I know at 
least a dozen. They have no love for 
flowers whatsoever. Dollar with them 
stands before flower ! Now comes the 
question, will the Dahlia become a 
common factor by this predicted over- 
production of tubers ? The plant will 
flower. Attempts to ship the blooms 
to the market will be made and it may 
result in an oversupply of common 
blooms, for the common stock will al- 
ways interfere with the good quality. 
There will also be attempts to dispose 
of the tubers under name. In other 
words will the Dahlia “wear its welcome 
out ” by this over production ? 
Hugo Kind. 
Growing Dahlias Commercially. 
As my methods of growing Dahlias com- 
mercially on a large scale are generally con- 
sidered to be somewhat different from those 
followed by most Dahlia growers, I have 
been asked to describe them. This year I 
shall plant about forty acres and shall fol- 
low my usual custom of starting the work 
the first Monday in May. I shall be through 
by the middle of July and perhaps earlier, 
depending on the weather. 
I have been told that my farm is excep- 
tionally free from weeds and I make it a 
hard and fast rule to prevent all weed 
growth. This is easier than it was when 
I first started, but it requires regular culti- 
vation and careful preparation of the soil. 
I use a two horse plow, and put it into the 
ground from 12 to 14 inches deep. Then I 
go over the ground with a fine tooth har- 
row or a cutaway harrow. I harrow the 
