temperamental and the word seems to float around that the 
flower is hard to raise. Whether it is over emphasised, has 
never been settled in court. It is our opinion, that common 
so-called “horse sense” will produce a successful conclusion 
in any one season. Your soil need not be scientifically cor¬ 
rect and balanced in an apothecary’s scales as to per cent of 
this and atom of that. We like the turnip test, try some on 
the “25th day of July, wet or dry.” If your turnips “go to 
town”, your ground is admirably suited for dahlias. If the 
turnips hestitate, the answer is simple: “Acid in your soil”. 
Dahlias should be grown away from trees and shrubbery, 
deep enough to avoid drouths, good draings in all cases, con¬ 
sistent and persistent cultivation, so crust can not form on 
the ground, mulching in mid-August and most important, 
spraying of the plants each week from early growth. Don’t 
let the bugs and insects get a start. We have foimd “EVER¬ 
GREEN” a very satisfactory insecticide which produces fine 
results at a Nominal cost. 
For healthy root growth, we use bone meal and muriate 
of potash and that does not mean nitrate of soda or any other 
of the many “shots in the arm,” enticing as the Sirens’ call 
We have much faith in a heavy cover crop of rye, to be 
turned under when about knee high which should be around 
April 10th to 15th. This gives your ground a month to settle 
before planting time (May 15 to June 1st). Rye can be 
broadcast over the mulch about September 10th. If your 
mulch is not heavy, then rake in the rye or the birds will fatten 
at the expense of your crop. 
And this, try some broken tobacco leaves or dust, in each 
hole, when planting, to take care of the ants and the root 
aphides. Oh, yes, plant in the “down” sign for tubers and 
in the “up” sign for blooms or maybe you were not raised by 
the Hagerstown almanac, don’t laugh until you try it. 
THE HARSHMANS, 
Forest Manor 
3648 Grant Ave., 
Indianapolis, Indiana. 
