A VIEW SHOWING DAHLIAS JUST COMING INTO BLOOM IN OUR 
FIELDS. DURING THE FALL OF 1936. EACH WEEK DURING THE 
FLOWERING SEASON AN AVERAGE OF TWO HUNDRED AND 
FIFTY VISITORS VIEW THIS GORGEOUS SIGHT. 
Cultural Hints 
Fine dahlias are the result of a number of factors, most important of 
which are: (1) good vigorous disease-free stock; (2) choice of varieties 
which naturally produce high quality blooms; (3) location of the garden; 
(4) proper planting; (5) cultivation; (6) intelligent fertilization and spray¬ 
ing; (7) pruning and dis-budding; and (8) the successful winter storage of 
the clumps. 
Factors (1) and (2) need no comment, other than that we guarantee 
every variety listed in this catalogue, to meet these requirements. Our fields 
are carefully and frequently inspected and all inferior plants are destroyed. 
We do not enter blooms in competition at dahlia shows. Forcing is not re¬ 
sorted to, and as a result, all the natural vigor and vitality of the variety, 
remains stored in the roots or plants you buy from us. 
Selection of the location for the garden is usually quite restricted, but 
fortunately dahlias will do well in any type of soil and in a wide variety of 
climate. A good site is one that receives several hours of sunlight each day 
and has good drainage, so that water does not stand on the ground very 
long after rains. More important than the type of soil or the location of the 
garden is the condition of the soil at planting time, and during the growing 
season. We believe that more failures with dahlias are due to the lack of 
proper conditioning of the soil than to any other single factor. This is 
especially regretable since it is a factor which may easily be controlled. 
The soil of the garden should be kept loose while the plants are grow¬ 
ing, especially in the early part of the season. Light sandy soils need the 
least preparation, providing they contain enough humus to hold a sufficient 
amount of moisture. Humus may be supplied by, planting a cover crop of 
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