118 
THE DAHLIA 
Luck With Dahlias. 
Mrs. A. R. Reinking, in Wisconsin Horticulture. 
T HE DAHLIA is a native of Mexico and 
South America where it can be found to- 
day. In its wild state it is a single flow- 
er of red, yellow, or purple, small but bril- 
liant though rather insignificant. From this 
humble little flower the most gorgeous and 
remarkable group of flowers has been devel- 
oped. Every color and shade and every imag- 
inable combination of colors except blue is to 
be seen in this lovely flower— there is even a 
green Dahlia, a decided novelty but not a 
beauty. 
The Dahlia varies in size from an inch to a 
foot in diameter and takes on more forms 
than any other flower resembling the Cos- 
mos, Daisy, Poinsettia. Clematis, Anemone, 
Zinnia, Aster, Water Lily, Cactus, Peony and 
Chrysanthemum. 
The first introduction of the Dahlia into 
Europe was in 1789 when the director of the 
Mexican Botanical Gardens sent some seeds 
to the director of the Royal Gardens at Mad- 
rid. This director was so pleased with the 
brilliant flowers the seeds produced he named 
them Dahlia in honor of a noted Swedish bot- 
anist, Andreas Dahl. 
Most of the new forms of the Dahlia are 
productions of England, France, Germany, 
and Holland. America contributed the Giant 
Singles or Century Dahlias and American 
gardens have added many noteworthy Dahlias 
of all types. 
Probably there is no other flower that is 
grown so extensively for commercial purposes 
as the Dahlia for there are many farms of 40 
to 75 acres and several of hundreds of acres 
that grow them exclusively. 
So often one hears another say, “O yes, I 
like Dahlias but I don’t have any luck with 
them, I can’t make them blossom.” Now 
luck with Dahlias is the same as with any- 
thing else, they must be understood and 
handled just about right. Dahlia raising is a 
fascinating hobby, they do well in ost 
any soil. Soil that will grow potatoes will 
grow Dahlias equally well, provided they have 
a great amount of sunshine. 
Perhaps the first reason for poor luck is 
that many people plant them too early— they 
try to get blossoms before their neighbors 
and unless it is an unusually moist season 
they generally fail to get any. The reason 
being that flowers are borne on soft, rapidly 
growing stems and during the hot, dry spell in 
July and August when the buds are formed 
and the plant is about ready to blossom the 
growth is checked, the stems become woody 
and the buds blighted. From the last of May 
to the middle of June is the best time in this 
climate, indeed we have planted as late as 
July 1st and produced an abundance of fine 
blooms. 
Prepare the Dahlia bed by spading deeply. 
Avoid an excessive use of fertilizer as it tends 
to produce much foliage and few flowers. If 
the ground is too heavy a little sand or sifted 
coal ashes will lighten and improve it. A 
good time to fertilize is after the first buds 
appear. In planting dig a hole six inches 
deep, lay the root on its side and cover with 
about two inches of earth. Fill in the re- 
mainder of the hole, in cultivating as the 
plants grow. In doing this the roots have 
been planted deep enough to 'give the plant 
support in time of storm and deep enough to 
guard against an ordinary drouth. Avoid 
water unless it is done thoroughly, superficial 
watering tends to bring the rootlets to the 
surface where they are readily dried out. 
During the growing season the ground 
should be cultivated about once a week and 
as soon after a rain as it can be worked. 
Slower (Brower 
Cultivate shallow after the buds begin to ap- 
pear so that the rcotlets may not be injured. 
Another reasc n for “ poor luck ” is that Dah- 
lias are often planted just as they were dug 
in the fall. One would not think of planting 
a dozen potat cs in one hill and for the same 
reason a whole clump of Dahlias should not 
be planted in one hill. Be sure to divide the 
clumps so that there is at least one good, 
strong eye to each division and do not allow 
more than two stalks to develop from each 
hill— better still, only one. 
To get the best flowers it is well to disbud. 
As a rule three flower buds appear in a clus- 
ter, the center one being the larger but not 
always the best, save the best one and pick 
off the others. The plants will produce more 
and larger flowers if the blossoms are kept 
picked and not allowed to wither and go to 
seed. 
After a killing frost cut off the tops and it 
is well to allow the bulbs to cure for a few 
days. Then on a bright day lift them out 
carefully, leave a little dirt on the crown to 
prevent the bulbs breaking off and dry in the 
sun for an hour or two. A good way to store 
them is by packing in boxes or barrels that 
have been lined with paper, place the clumps 
with the stems down to allow any moisture 
to drain out. Place boxes in a frost proof 
cellar but away from furnace heat and the 
roots will undoubtedly be in first class condi- 
tion in the spring. 
July, 1920, bulletin of theAmeiican 
Dahlia Society is to hand. Complete 
prize list of next annual exhibition of 
the Society to be held in New York in 
September is given with the usual help- 
ful notes and articles on Dahlia grow- 
ing. 
OUR BIRDS 
Planting to Attract Birds. 
By Mrs. O. A. Runyon. 
[ Written expressly for The Flower Grower. ] 
In planning our garden it is always 
possible to plant trees and shrubs that 
furnish food and attract our native 
birds. These may be planted in odd 
corners, on steep banks, and among 
rocks, and in swampy places too wet 
to grow flowers. 
The single flowered Althea fills the 
need of seeds for winter time. I have 
counted nineteen Cardinals feeding on 
one bush, a sight never to be forgot- 
ten. The mulberry, wild cherry, May 
cherry, hackberry, dog-wood, sassafras, 
privet, spice wood, wild rose, wild 
grape, bitter sweet, wild buckwheat, 
millet, Sunflowers and many other 
fruit and seed bearing trees and plants 
can be grown. 
The black currant, red currant and 
black raspberry will attract many rare 
kinds of birds and are well worth the 
time and space they require. 
The brilliant Blue bird has its nest in 
a hollow post planted for that purpose. 
Several families of Warblers live in 
the shrubbery and are diligent workers 
all day long. 
The Catbird cries his defense from 
the cherry tree, (have enough for all, 
yourself and birds, or else give all to 
the birds), or perched on the top of a 
post he pours forth his song. 
The Scarlet Tanager makes a lovely 
moving picture as he flys in and out 
August, 1920 
among the white flowers of the privet 
bush. 
The Ground, Chipping, Song and 
white crowned Sparrows, all have their 
place in the living moving picture of 
my garden. They are always busy 
and sing sweet little songs pleasing to 
the ear. 
I have noticed the Cuckoo with large 
hairy caterpillars feeding their young, 
and I don’t see how it is possible for a 
young bird to swallow such a large 
morsel of food. The Cuckoo will get 
to be very gentle if it is not frightened 
in any way. 
If you have Solomon’s Seal growing, 
look carefully and you will find a ruby 
throated Humming bird’s nest near, 
but put on a sun-bonnet or a broad hat 
as this tiny bird will make a flying 
dash at your eyes if it has a nest near. 
The greatest foes of our native birds 
are the house cat and the black snake. 
The latter can be shot, and the former 
penned up in nesting season and well 
fed at other times and they will not do 
much damage to the bird family. 
All feeding tables should be arranged 
so that cats cannot climb, by placing 
tin around the supporting posts. 
I raise gourds for nesting places for 
Wrens and other small birds. Give 
them food and protection and they 
will repay you many times, not only 
from an aesthetic but economic point 
of view. 
Quite apart from any question of 
sentiment, preservation of our bird life 
is of great national importance, and a 
lack of knowledge causes the destruc- 
tion of valuable species. 
Each one of us can aid the cause by 
loving and protecting our little police- 
men of the garden. 
Wrens Vs. English Sparrows. 
Among bird houses I have at my 
home, is one originally intended for 
Blue birds but occupied last year by 
Wrens. 
When the Wrens returned this year 
and wanted their home, they found 
other birds were ahead of them. I 
knew the house was occupied and 
thought the Wrens would have to go 
house hunting ; but one morning as I 
passed near the house, I saw English 
Sparrows on the ground picking up 
feathers, and, looking up, saw a Wren 
pulling from the house feathers and 
nesting material, and dropping them, 
while the Sparrows meekly picked 
them up. I can’t tell where the Spar- 
rows went but the Wrens are happy in 
the possession of their former home. 
Mrs. E. M. Wilson. 
The power exerted by vegetable 
growth is something almost unexplain- 
able and not generally understood. 
Prof. Clark, of the Massachusetts Agri- 
cultural College has succeeded in 
measuring the power of the growth of 
a 9quash. This was done by placing 
the squash in a box in such a way that 
it could only grow upward, thus lifting 
a long lever with weights. The 
squash finally lifted 5000 lbs., at which 
it reached its limit when the weights 
cut into the rind of the squash. 
