How to Handle and Grow Dahlias 
A SUNNY, open location,—soil matters little. Spade well 
and deeply (when fit to work) and fine thoroughly. 
When soil has become warm, plant the tuber horizontally, 
about 6 inches deep and 3x4' fee apart if soil is rich, or 
2x3 feet, if soil is poor. Do not water when planting, 
and never sprinkle your dahlias; soak the soil thoroughly about 
every 7 or 10 days, during very dry weather; also when in bloom. 
Keep the top soil stirred to prevent weeds, and when plants are 
too large to do this, mulch the soil with waste or leaves of any kind. 
When plant is a foot or so high drive a stout stake about 6 inches 
from the plant to it to, as it grows, with “rag” or soft twine. Also, 
about that time, if you want bushy plants, not so tall, cut out the 
tops, leaving about 3 joints. Fasten your label to the stake. If 
you want extra large bloom, remove all bud the main fiower-bud on 
each branch, and water with liquid manure, but any “high-pressure” 
cultivation makes the roots harder to keep over. 
Cut the blooms very late in the evening or early in the morning; 
“singe” them by holding the ends of stems over a gas flame for a 
moment or two, or, putting them in about inches of steaming hot 
water for a few moments (do not let steam hit the blossoms), then 
putting in cold water. 
Several days after frost has killed your plants (the roots mature 
more rapidly after the plant is killed) dig them up, careful to pre¬ 
vent breaking the “necks” of the tubers, cut the tops off (a prun¬ 
ing shear or small saw) within an inch of the clump and store 
away. Do not leave a long stem to induce rot, and do not let lie 
around, they will dry enough in storage. , 
If possible, store in an old-fashioned cellar, which is generally 
somewhat damp and cool. If you have no such place available, put 
them in a paper-lined box and cover all over with damp (not wet) 
earth, sand or, best of all, peat which can be bought at any large 
agricultural dealer for 5 cents per pound, or so. Then store the 
box in as cool, moist a place as you can find, where the temperature 
does not go below freezing. 
Examine the roots about January 1st and about March 1st and if 
too dry, moisten the earth or peat somewhat; if any rot appears, 
cut it out thoroughly and dust the cut place with powdered sulfur. 
When ready to plant out, use a strong knife to separate the 
clumps so that each division made, shall have an “eye.” One tuber 
with an eye is better than many. 
If plant lice, aphis, curly leaf, or thrip appear on your plants 
spray with “Volck,” or soap suds and “Black Leaf 40.” 
Snails and cut-worms often eat the eyes or sprout of a tuber. 
The best method is to go out very late at night and sprinkle air- 
slacked lime or tobacco dust around the plant. 
If your plant leaves turn white in the fall dust with powdered 
sulfur on a sunny morning. If your dahlia stops growing after 
attaining several inches, take up the tuber, wash very carefully and 
replant it. 
Some varieties do no tproduce tubers readily; if the tuber planted 
in spring has merely increased in size, cut off the tail end leaving it 
about 4 inches long, split this lengthwise so as to leave an eye on 
each split division ; dust with sulfur and each piece will produce a 
plant and a clump. 
Any further information cheerfully furnished on request. 
