Dahlia Catalogue for 1914 
5 
Insect Pests. 
X find that many of the Dahlia lovers are 
troubled with insect pests at the present 
time, and the two insects which seem to affect 
the Dahlia mostly are the Chintz Fly and a 
small green Fly or Lice. These green flies 
seem to work wholly on the under side of the 
leaf, and a light spraying of Tobacco Water, 
Arsenate of Lead, or Whale Oil Soap Solu¬ 
tion, will check them from working. In most 
cases we find that if wood ashes are shaken 
on the plants when the dew is on them it 
will check both kinds of pests from working. 
Wood ashes are also very effective to use 
around your plants when they first come 
through the ground, it will prevent cut 
worms, also borers, from working on your 
plants. These two pests first mentioned do 
most of their work just before the plant be¬ 
comes large enough to flower, and in many 
cases if not attended to will destroy the first 
buds and check the plants from flowering in 
the early part of the season. 
In the Interest of the General Public. 
I have made a thorough canvass in past 
years to ascertain the way the general pub¬ 
lic have been planting their Dahlias. X find 
that only about 20 per cent, of the public un¬ 
derstand how to grow the Dahlia. The other 
80 per cent, do just the opposite to what is 
most necessary for the growth and the pro¬ 
duction of the plant. In the first place I find 
that most people plant too many bulbs in a 
hill, and expect by so doing they will receive 
the best results; but this Is directly opposite 
from what should be done. One bulb with 
an eye or sprout is far better than any more. 
If you grow over two sprouts you receive 
too much plant and not enough flowers. In 
general, the amateurs in planting Dahlia 
bulbs, stand their bulbs up straight in the 
ground instead of laying them flat six inches 
under ground so the sprout when grown will 
be fully six inches deep. At the base of the 
crown where the sprout starts is where all 
the new bulbs form and make growth. If 
you plant them not more than an inch or two 
deep, as soon as it becomes dry weather the 
plants become blighted and are not apt to 
flower the rest of the season. If planted six 
inches deep in most any soil there will be 
moisture enough to keep the plant continu¬ 
ally growing without artificial watering. 
They should be kept thorougnly cultivated, 
as the principal requirement of the Dahlia is 
cultivation. In order to harvest the bulbs for 
winter they should not be dug until three 
days after frosts have cut the foliage. They 
should then be dug with plough or spade. 
The tops should be cut off within two inches 
of the crown of the clump. They should be 
left out two hours if the weather is good, just 
long enough to free the soil from the clumps, 
then packed away upside down in cellars 
where the temperature will not go below 40 
degrees. If the cellar is heated it is well 
to put them as far as possible from the heat, 
then cover with paper or heavy burlap. In 
many cases dry sand or sawdust can be used. 
This will keep them from drying up. 
TERMS : Cash with orders. 
Remittance can be made by P. O. or Ex¬ 
press Money Order, Bank Draft, or Regis¬ 
tered Letter at my risk. All orders will be 
shipped by Parcel Post, Express, or Freight, 
whichever way we deem advisable, prepaid 
Always address, 
Long distance telephone connection. 
to all parts of the United States and Canada; 
unless otherwise stated. I guarantee their 
safe arrival in good condition. No extra 
charges for packing; one-half dozen at dozen 
rates. 
J. K. ALEXANDER, 
TILE EASTERN DAHLIA KING, 
. East Bridgewater, Mass. 
Classification of Dahlias. 
Dahlias are divided into two divisions, dou¬ 
ble and single; and each division is again 
sub-divided into classes, according to size, 
form of flowers and arrangement of colors. 
Double Dahlias are divided into the follow¬ 
ing classesCactus, Decorative, Peony-flow¬ 
ered, Show, Fancy, and Pompon. 
Cactus Dahlias. This class is of comparative¬ 
ly recent introduction, and is entirely dis¬ 
tinct from any other class. The flowers are 
loosely and artistically formed, and very 
irregular, resembling the Chrysanthemum. 
Petals long, twisted, and terminating in a 
point. Some varieties possess nearly 
straight petals, others are gracefully in¬ 
curved. 
Decorative Dahlias, are large, flat, and full to 
the center; petals quite irregularly situated, 
long, broad, flat, and nearly straight. 
Peony-flowered Dahlias. A new type resem¬ 
bling the Peony. The flowers are generally 
semi-double, showing a rich golden center. 
Show Dahlias. These are large, spherical, 
regular, compact and full to the centre. 
The floivers are either solid, edged, tipped 
or shaded darker. 
Fancy Dahlias. In form and habit they are 
identical with the Show Dahlia, but are 
different in arrangement of colors. The 
flowers are tipped or edged lighter than 
the ground color, or splashed, striped, mot¬ 
tled and variegated, in every conceivable 
manner. They often throw a solid flower 
on the same plant. 
Pompon Dahlias. In form this class is iden¬ 
tical with the Show and Fancy, the only 
difference being the size of the flowers; they 
are small, round, miniature Dahlias, and 
flower much more freely than any other 
class. 
Single Dahlias. These have but one row of 
petals, generally eight, resembling the Cos- 
mus, and are very free flowering. 
Collarette Dahlias. The flowers are single; 
with an additional row of shorter petals 
around the disc, which forms a frill or col¬ 
lar, usually of a different color from the 
outer petals. 
