below the remaining bud except the two nearest the main 
stalk. This will keep your plant low and bushy and you 
will have many flowers on long stems from branches below 
which will develop rapidly. 
FERTILIZATION — When buds appear, which is usually about 
the 20th to the 25th of August, it is well to give them a 
top dressing of fertilizer and we suggest at this time 
lbs. of bonemeal flour, lbs. of animal tankage and 
1 lb. of muriate of potash or sulphate of potash. Mix 
well and broadcast not closer than 6 inches nor more than 
18 inches from the. stalk. The foregoing formula is suf¬ 
ficient for one application to ten hills. 
CUT FLOWERS — Dahlias should be cut in the early morning 
or in the evening after sundown. After flowers are cut 
dip stems into hot water (about boiling) for one or two 
minutes. Then place in deep cold water in a cellar for a 
few hours to freshen. Flowers then may be ready to ship 
by packing in strong corrugated boxes, laid out in flor¬ 
ists tissue paper. It might be well to fold up newspapers 
to act as a pillow for the large blooms to rest on in or¬ 
der to avoid bruising. 
STORAGE — After the black frost has killed the dahlias, 
cut the tops at the ground and dig them carefully with a 
good fork, being careful not to strain the necks of the 
roots. Cut stalk within 2 inches of crown and allow 
clumps to dry out in the sun three or four hours before 
placing into barrels or boxes. Suggest that clumps be 
placed in inverted position while drying, in order that 
water in stems will drain out. It is well to allow soil 
to cling to clumps to prevent root necks from breaking 
and excessive drying of tubers. A good potato cellar is 
very desirable as a storage bin for dahlias. If this is 
not available, keep them as far as possible from the 
heater and in a space where the temperature will not go 
below 40 degrees nor above 55 degrees. 
PREPARING SOIL FOR NEXT YEAR — After roots have been dug 
spade the garden and plant winter rye. If your soil has 
a tendency to be acid would broadcast lime stone over it. 
The spreading of cow manure over the winter rye will also 
be very beneficial. Turn rye over just before it goes 
into stalk which in this climate is usually about the 
first week in May. 
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