DAHLIAS FOR DECORATION 
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P ages could be written on this subject. Dahlias bloom in 
the late summer and during the fall in varied forms and a 
wilderness of coloring, and for those reasons are fascinating 
to arrange. 
Cut your blooms in the early morning when the dew be¬ 
sprinkles them, dip the stems in boiling water to the depth of an 
inch, then plunge the stems in very deep water. Leave them 
for an hour, then arrange. Add ice to your water during the 
day. Long stem flowers want to be placed in deep vases. Pom¬ 
pons and miniatures are charming in a bowl, but the deeper the 
bowl, the longer they will last. Take a single perfect dahlia and 
float it with its leaves in a shallow bowl or a deep plate. If the 
container is large, three flowers floating are quite as attractive 
as water lilies. 
I have been growing dahlias and using them in my house for 
more years than I like to admit, but I will confess this is my 
twenty-third year as a professional grower and every year the 
Bessie Boston introductions are better and better. That is the 
reason we are introducing less. It is difficult work to strive for 
perfection, but many letters from friendly customers are en¬ 
couraging. 
For several years I have done no exhibiting, except last fall, 
when I made a complimentary showing in the San Mateo Fiesta. 
No, we had no dahlias at Christmas last year; an unprece¬ 
dented frost cut them down in all their glory the first week in 
November. 
Elizabeth W. Lymbery 
(Formerly Bessie Boston). 
j. x J-... 
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