of the plant stem. For large blooms the plant should 
be pinched back after it has made three sets of leaves, 
pinch out the top, this will make the plant throw up 
6 lateral branches, remove all lateral growth from the 
leaf joints on the laterals with the exceptions of the 
two on the lower leaf joint next to the main stem, re¬ 
move all buds that form but the main bud in the center 
of the cluster on the end of the stem, this bud will 
produce the large bloom you want, after the first bloom 
has been cut, the two lower laterals left next to the 
main stem will be allowed to grow and bloom, when 
cutting the blooms, cut as much of the stem as can be 
cut without injuring the two tender laterals left. If 
tall plants are wanted do not pinch out the top but 
remove all leaf laterals until plant has attained the de¬ 
sired height. Always keep the surface of the ground 
loose, and after each watering or rain, hoe and rake 
over, this will aid air absorption and conserve moisture. 
If it is desired to use some fertilizer, you may use to 
five plants, one pound of ground bone meal, 1 V 2 to 
2 pounds of sheep manure and about three pounds of 
sifted wood ashes that have never been wet (after ashes 
have been wet they loose their strength) mix all to¬ 
gether and spread around the plants and water liber¬ 
ally (not sprinkled). Do not start watering until the 
buds have begun to show, unleiss season is dry, and 
then water about every ten days, (don’t sprinkle but 
thoroughly soak the ground). A good spraying of the 
plants and the under side of the leaves once a week is 
good insurance. I always use Black Leaf ‘40’ Nicotine 
Sulphate. To a gallon of water add one teaspoon of 
Nicotine and *4 teaspoon of Arsenate of Lead. This 
most always gives complete control. Cut your flowers 
late at night or very early morning while the dew is on 
them, place them in cold water and out of all drafts of 
air, never cut your flowers in the heat of the day if 
you want them to stand up and last. After the plants 
are frozen down in the fall, cut the stalks off close to 
the ground and dig very carefully so that you do not 
break the necks on the roots. Store in a cardboard 
box, place the clump of roots upside down to allow all 
the remaining sap to dry off or drain away, cover the 
box up tightly to exclude the drying air and place in a 
cool and moist place free from frost. Peek into the 
box once in a while to see that there is no rot or 
mildew, if rot or mildew is seen, cut away all rot and 
dust with common sulphur, dry the roots for a day or 
two and replace them the same as before. Never plant 
but one root with an eye or sprout on it in a place, 
planting a whole clump or roots like that which was 
dug in the fall means complete failure, it should always 
be divided before planting. 
Sincerely yours, Manley Webb (Manager). 
SPECIAL PRIZES OFFERED 
We will give $5.00 worth of stock picked from this 
catalog for the largest bloom grown from our Dahlia 
Roots or Plants, and $4.00 worth for the second largest 
bloom, and another $4.00 worth of stock for the clearest 
picture of a Pompon Dahlia plant with the most flowers 
showing clearly, and $2.00 worth of stock for a picture 
of large Dahlias or Pompon Dahlias shown in a vase 
or basket, the picture to be judged for arrangement, 
artistic beauty of flowers and vase or basket. All con¬ 
testants must send a clear picture of their entry, and 
the proper name of variety. The picture is to be the 
property of the MANLEY S. WEBB NURSERIES. We 
reserve the right to use the picture, name and address 
of contestants in future advertising or for catalog use. 
No pictures will be returned, and our decision of the 
winning entries must be final. 
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