Dahlia—The Flower that Came Back 
ITS CHECKERED CAREER—METHODS OF PROPAGATION—WHERE TO PLANT 
IN THE GARDEN-TILLAGE AND WATERING — WINTER CARE OF ROOTS 
I F you doubt that there are 
fads in flowers, follow the 
course of the wavering populari¬ 
ty to which the dahlia has been 
subjected. Once an old favorite, 
it fell into disfavor for a few 
years because of its formal and 
artificial-looking flowers — round 
and hard and stiff as a ball. It 
was relegated to the company of 
those that are considered as 
having a place only in the rural 
districts, where its popularity 
would seem never to have waned. 
Since the coming of the loose- 
flowered forms — the cactus and 
semi-cactus types, which tend to¬ 
ward free, fluffy chrysanthe¬ 
mum-like flowers—it has gained 
front rank in popularity once 
more, coming just in advance of 
the chrysanthemum. And there 
is additional reason for this re¬ 
turn to popularity, for few culti¬ 
vated plants have such a wide 
range of color ; few are more en¬ 
livening to the garden ensemble 
when placed in the proper posi¬ 
tions and planted in the proper 
proportions. 
Though the amateur gardener 
may not be able to avail himself 
of all the methods of dahlia 
propagation, it is wise for him 
to have a speaking acquaintance 
with the four processes: By cut- 
Stephen Edsall 
The Queen Queen, a seedling dahlia, exhibiting great variety in form and 
color, and easily a favorite for the fall 
ting, which is an important com¬ 
mercial method; by division of 
roots, the best plan for amateurs ; 
by grafting, which perpetuates 
the rare kinds; and by seeds, to 
produce new varieties. 
The single varieties may be 
grown from seed, but the double 
sorts should be grown from cut¬ 
tings of young stems or from 
division of the roots. If cut¬ 
tings are to be made it will be 
necessary to start the roots early 
in either a hotbed or the house. 
When the growth has reached 
four or five inches they may be 
cut from the plant and rooted in 
sand, but just below the joint, as 
a cutting made between two 
joints will not form tubers. The 
most rapid method of propaga¬ 
tion of named varieties is to 
grow in this way from cuttings. 
In growing the plants from 
roots it is best to place the whole 
root in gentle heat and cover 
slightly. When the young growth 
has started, the roots may be 
taken up, divided, and planted 
three to four feet apart. This 
plan will assure a plant from 
each piece of root, whereas if the 
roots are divided while dormant 
there is danger in not having a 
bud at the end of each piece, in 
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