1014. 
THE RURAL. HEW-YORRER 
363 
In My Neighbors’ Gardens.—Dahlias. 
One much-enjoyed forenoon in Septem¬ 
ber was spent seeing what the Dahlia 
growers for several miles about were pro¬ 
ducing in the way of exhibition speci¬ 
mens. It was the boast of the Horticul¬ 
tural Society that 15,000 individual 
flowers were shown, so of course my 
“neighborhood” was a wide one and in¬ 
cluded well-known Dahlia specialists, 
local professional florists and many ex¬ 
hibitors classed as amateurs. This grand 
Autumn flower has been brought to a 
state of development which makes one 
with any gardening enthusiasm almost 
unable to decide which is loveliest, the 
fantastically twisted, tubular-petaled 
cactus sorts, the quilled and ball-like 
“show” types, or the “decoratives” with 
petals broad and flat, and individual 
flowers often measuring six inches across. 
Indeed one prize-taker, a clear, lovely 
pink named Bertha Von Suttner, was a 
full eight inches in diameter. And just 
when one has settled it that one of these 
shall have the heart, the eye falls upon 
an array of singles, and immediately every 
sort of double flower seems outdone by 
the satiny picturesqueness of this airy 
and wholly delightful and artless variety. 
The degree to which the petals of a 
Dahlia flower can be bred to grow rolled 
up and twisted, or flat and wide is 
astonishing. The grand “decoratives” 
spread fheir petals in rosette arrange¬ 
ment so little pleated as to suggest some 
other flower than a Dahlia, though it is 
hard to think of any other blossom to 
which they may be compared. This gives 
their beauty of heavy satin texture and 
depth of color striking effect. 
Whether or not the velvety richness 
of the new types outdoes our old-fash¬ 
ioned garden sorts, certainly colors have 
made gorgeous improvements. Scarcely a 
crimson or dull pink was shown. I think, 
but the range from clear rose pink to 
deepest maroon, through all sorts of 
scarlet, Jacqueminot and carmine was a 
revelation. The heavy satin of the 
whites made them sumptuous, but most 
attractive of all, to me, were the yellows, 
running into apricot and burnt orange. 
Here and there was a deep amber which 
made all the reds and pinks seem out¬ 
done. 
Of many odd and interesting types it is 
enough to mention the green Dahlia, Viri- 
diflora, looking in size, form and shape 
of petals more like an Aster, but having 
Dahlia leaves. It was as clear a green 
as if made of sepals, but they were not 
Dahlia sepals. As but one flower was 
shown I concluded that it is a shy 
bloomer and not worth while for any ex¬ 
cept those who have means for testing 
it without neglect of more rewarding va¬ 
rieties. 
And did I go home from this flower 
exhibition resolved to let all my own 
Dahlias, commonplace, unimproved old 
sorts, freeze and perish? No. At the 
show I had also seen the men who grew 
grand Dahlias, a practical, business-look¬ 
ing type of men, evidently capable of 
spending almost any amount of pains 
and resources. I realized that thousands 
of the blossoms shown had been each the 
only flower allowed to grow upon a plant, 
and that thousands more had been pro¬ 
duced in the same exclusive fashion that 
these, the best of the output, might go 
to the exhibitor's tables. 
A few days after the exhibition I 
chanced to visit the garden of an ordin¬ 
ary Dahlia amateur. It was a city lot 
with stable in the rear, and I know that 
the owner had time, enthusiasm and, 
keeping one horse and a few fowls, had 
also plenty of fertilizer to spread upon 
his borders. He had perhaps 40 Dahlias, 
scarcely two alike. Many were seedlings, 
a few were named sorts. All were inter¬ 
esting, but none near exhibition stand¬ 
ards. The singles ran to doubles, and 
the doubles failed of reaching the “deco¬ 
rative” type. The “show” varieties held 
their characteristics better, but were 
merely ordinary. One or two plants were 
well tilled with flowers, but on the whole, 
blossoms were scattering, yet he had 
picked none. 
While I felt no wish -to disparage this 
man’s Dahlias it will be seen how much 
there was in his garden to make me 
willing to leave the growing of grand 
Dahlias to experts. Another lesson 
learned of this garden was to nip off sick* 
shoots and keep the plants to oue stalk. 
PRUDENCE PRIMROSE. 
Flowers After Frost. 
As the sun mounts northward and the 
days lengthen, our desire for a garden 
and the pleasures of gardening are re¬ 
awakened. During the short days of 
Winter this desire has been hibernating, 
but as the sunshine lingers, bringing 
forth the snowdrops and the robin, we 
find it has put off its Winter sleep and 
is fully awake. Here are the catalogues, 
replete with all that goes to make a Sum¬ 
mer, but it remains to us to plant with a 
memory of past denuded gardens, when 
the first frost took all of the glory, leav¬ 
ing to us only blackened beds and empty 
vases. With a little forethought at the 
planting time we may select varieties 
whose season is long, and also of suffi¬ 
cient hardihood to withstand our earliest 
frosts, coming like a benediction at the 
end of a full Summer and a plentiful 
harvest. When the tender flowers are 
gone how pleased we are to prolong the 
season still further with some less deli¬ 
cate, but still beautiful blooms. 
First we would choose Verbenas. The 
seed is slow of germination, but will 
come very soon, when it is possible to 
supply bottom heat. If planted only 
for Fall blooming it will do very well 
scattered in the open ground. They trans¬ 
plant easily, and started early, will bloom 
through the hottest weather, and on into 
the cool days of Autumn. Never gather 
Verbena blooms in the heat of the day, 
or you will only have a mass of with¬ 
ered leaves and flowers. Gathered early 
in the morning, still wet with dew, or 
after the sun has dipped below the 
western hills, they will not disappoint 
you. Their habit of rooting from the 
procumbent stems gives them a much 
longer blooming season. Petunias stand 
high in the list of frost resistants. A kill¬ 
ing frost may take the open flowers, but 
the buds will open in the bright sunny 
days that always follow in the wake of 
a frost. The bedding varieties are per¬ 
haps the most satisfactory for the pur¬ 
pose. 
Annual Phlox is another that blooms 
over a long period, and if kept from seed¬ 
ing w T ill give plenty of bouquets after 
sweet peas and Dahlias have yielded up 
their lives to King Frost. These will 
repay a liberal mulch, as the beating 
Autumn storms cover the delicate blos¬ 
soms with sand. The rain and the cool¬ 
er weather seems to lighten their colors 
and also to increase the size of individual 
blooms, giving a better and brighter 
spray of bloom with a sweet and delicate 
perfume. 
Pansies will join hands with the snow 
storms of December, defying Winter, and 
blooming again in early Spring to cheer 
the days before the tender annuals devel- 
ope. Sweet Alyssum, that old favorite 
of the garden, is bravely blooming while 
we are setting out the bulbs for Spring 
blooming. We are loth to destroy it, 
so lift it to a pot and place it in a sunny 
window. If not kept too warm it makes 
a very satisfactory window plant. Then 
there is mignonette, like a true friend, 
constant till the last. You will find it 
beloved of the bees on sunny afternoons. 
Calendula, as its name implies, shines 
out on nearly all of our calendar mouths. 
At the north, when actual Winter comes 
it must succumb, but its golden and paler 
yellow hold their place long after severe 
freezing. Shakespeare called it “Mary- 
gold” but the marigold of our catalogues 
is one of the first to fall a victim to the 
frost. 
Annual Chrysanthemums also give yel¬ 
low blooms till Winter is here to stay. 
These come also in white with finely-cut 
foliage and densely double. Perhaps tin? 
best of Fall bloomers is the hardy Chrys¬ 
anthemum which will endure, year after 
year, in the open ground, but always 
blooms late, while the above mentioned 
annuals bloom from early Summer on 
into the melancholy days. 
Among plants seldom seen is the lark¬ 
spur. This is a beautiful, late bloomer 
being entirely frost-proof. The foliage 
is lacy, the blossoms of the double class 
being very like hyacinths. In habit, 
either tall or dwarf, as your fancy dic¬ 
tates, coming in colors best represented 
by our flag—red, white and blue. One 
feature of these frost-resisting beauties 
is their habit of self sowing. The vitality 
that carries the blossoms so late, is trans¬ 
mitted to the seed, and will gladden your 
eyes the second season, with no effort or 
expense on your part. 
LILLY ELY LITTLE. 
• 
■***:£* * -- 
: 
-i 
- .,; 'f'-f 
FREE— Your “National 
Spring Style Book 
f • y 
—— 
Mail the Coupon 
Today for 224-Page 
Book of Money-Saving 
BARGAINS! 
Get your copy of the new 
“National” Spring Style 
Book now and see the fasci¬ 
nating new Spring styles, see 
everything new and see for your¬ 
self the “National’s” Bargain 
Prices. We pay transportation 
charges right to your home. That’s part of the National * 
Policy. And, remember, the “National” has been 
For 25 Years the Foremost House of Fashions 
—the first in the field—the first to sell direct to the women oil 
America, New York City styles at low prices not to be equalled 
anywhere. You , too, can dress fashionably at low cost through 
the “National” —just as many thousands of women are doing 
all the time. 
The “NATIONAL” Policy 
We prepay postage and expressage on all our goods to all parts 
of the world. Every“tNATIONAL” garment has the “NATIONAL'' 
Guarantee Tag attached. This tag says that you may return 
any garment not satisfactory to you and we will refund your 
money and pay postage or express charges both ways. 
Look at These Values! Thousands Like Them! 
Waists.$ -49 to 
Skirts. 1-98 “ 
Ladies’ Lingerie Dresses. 2.98 
Ladies’ Silk Dresses ..4.98 
Hats. 59 
Shoes, Ladies’.85 
Shoes, Children’s.45 
Lingerie Dresses for Misses and Small Women 2.98 
Silk Dresses for Misses and Small Women.... 4.98 
Junior Dresses. 98 
Children’s Dresses and Coats.57 
Boys’ and Young Men’s Clothing. 1.98 
Ladies’ Tailored Suits. 4.98 
$5.98 
7.98 
14.98 
19.75 
6.98 
3.98 
2.98 
6.98 
9.98 
4.98 
5.95 
12.98 
16.98 
Mai! the Coupon Today 
Get your big Money-Saving “National” Spring 
Style Book—just crowded with pictures and de¬ 
scriptions of the latest New York City styles— 
and everything at “National" Bargain Prices. 
Don’t you fail to mail the coupon now. 
Also a full line of Underwear, Hosiery. Scarfs, Veils, Gloves. Sweaters, Leather 
Goods, Jewelry and a complete line of Boys’, Misses’ and Children s 
Wearing Apparel. Don’t forget to mail the coupon. 
NATIONAL CLOAK & SUIT COMPANY 
273 West 24th Street, New York City 
No B 
— 
_ 
s - No 
Free Money-Saving Coupon 
NATIONAL CLOAK & SUIT CO. 273 
273 West 24th Street. New York City 
Please send me. Free, my copy of the Money- 
Saving “National” Spring Style Book. 
Name 
Street, 
City.. 
.State.. 
