East Bridgewater Dahlia Cardens J . K. Alexander , East Bridgewater , Massachusetts 
which form, will grow near the top of the ground; 
and when you have a dry spell your plant be¬ 
comes stunted ; whereas, if the bulbs were planted 
flat down six inches deep, no matter how dry the 
season, the bulbs would receive sufficient moisture 
to keep them growing. If planting with manure, 
cover manure an inch or so before planting bulbs ; 
Fertilizer should be thoroughly worked into the 
soil. Either Fertilizer or Manure will burn the 
sprout; be sure to cover with soil. 
By planting the bulb first, then covering an inch 
or so with soil, and applying your Fertilizer or 
Manure, your plant receives the entire benefit of 
the dressing. The dressing is above the bulb, and 
every rain carries the food down to the roots, 
whereas, if your dressing is below the bulb, each 
rain takes your dressing further away from your 
plant. 
Summary: Plant bulb six inches deep, flat down, 
having sprout or eye facing upward, cover with 
soil an inch or so, apply dressing, and cover in 
level. 
CULTIVATION. Cultivation is the principal re¬ 
quirement of the Dahlia; the most important of all 
operations to insure success. Keep the soil well 
cultivated, and free from weeds ; never allow the 
soil to crust. 
CARE OF PLANTS. Give thorough cultivation, 
deep at first, and continue once a week until the 
plants commence to flower. 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 every 
rain, keeping the soil from forming a crust on 
the surface or baking; and conserving the moist¬ 
ure in the soil; thus avoiding the necessity of 
watering. 
As the shoot or plant commences to show itself 
above the ground, care should be taken at this time 
for the prevention of cutworms, and other pests 
that destroy the young shoots, and I recommend 
Vermine, Aphol, Cut Worm Food, or Tobacco Dust, 
as the best preventatives for these pests. 
As soon as the plants attain a 
height of eight to ten inches it is 
time to commence to “train” your 
plents. 
There are three systems from which 
you must choose: The Staking Sys¬ 
tem, the Branching Method, and the 
Massing System. 
The Staking System is the most 
popular, many amateurs finding it 
the most successful. Dahlias under 
this system should be planted from 
t wo to four feet apart, according to 
the amount of space you have to de¬ 
vote ; the larger, the more robust the 
plants. Stakes should be set when 
tne Dahlia is planted. As soon as 
plants attain a height of from two 
to three feet they should be secured 
to the stakes, thus protecting them, 
and preventing the brittle stalks 
from being blown over or getting 
broken. 
The Branching Method. This sys¬ 
tem is advocated by many profes¬ 
sionals and does away with staking. 
Plant in hills or rows, from eighteen 
to thirty inches apart. When your 
plant has two sets of leaves, pinch 
off or cut out the whole top of the 
plant: at each leaf a branch will 
start thus making four branches, one 
at each leaf. Do not pinch off your 
plant but once; as this system makes 
your plants two weeks later in flow¬ 
ering ; but you receive four flower 
stalks, each of which will blossom 
equal to the one stalk, which you 
would have received, had you left 
your plants growing without pinch¬ 
ing. When the plant is grown it will 
have a short, strong, single stalk, which comes only 
an inch or two above the ground, with four branches 
or flowering stalks. The plant is short, and has 
a neat branching appearance; the branches are 
self-supporting and are not easily blown over by 
the winds. 
The Massing System. The system I use in 
planting my immense fields—avoiding the extra 
labor and expense of staking, the woodeny effect 
of stakes in your garden, and giving a solid mass 
of foliage and flowers, more beautiful and effect¬ 
ive than where nature’s beauty is broken at each 
interval with a stake. Plant bulbs in rows, from 
ten inches to two feet apart, according to the 
amount of space you have to devote. The plants 
are self-supporting; each plant supporting and 
protecting the other. 
After the plants attain eighteen inches in height 
an occasional spraying of Arsenate of Lead, Nico- 
Fume Liquid, Nicoticide, Tobakine, Whale Oil 
Soap Solution, or some other first-class solution, 
will kill and keep away the Aphis or Green Fly, 
which often infect Dahlias. 
Both Wood Ashes and Lime are good at all 
times, and in addition to being good fertilizers, 
are effective as preventatives against insect pests. 
To obtain the largest and most perfect flowers, 
only the best and largest buds should be allowed 
to mature; the others taken off, enabling the full 
strength to develop those into exhibition blooms. 
DISBUDDING. Some varieties of Dahlias re¬ 
quire thinning and disbudding to produce the best 
flowers. Varieties having an excessive amount of 
foliage and small growth should have a considera¬ 
ble part of their branches removed, while those 
having more buds than can be properly developed 
or matured should be disbudded. The operation in 
no way endangers the plants, and anyone can do 
it. Thin and disbud if necessary, moderately or 
severely as conditions may seem to require. 
Taking a budded stalk or branch, you will note 
the large or first bud on the stalk, and also, that 
at each leaf all the way down the stalk new 
shoots or bud-stalks -form ; these in turn produce 
buds and flowering stalks, which over-top the 
Dahlia Clump, Showing Proper Method of Dividing. 
3 
