Midwest Show Sept. 20th and 2\st 
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 
Plan to attend this great annual show, 
sponsored this year by the Dahlia Society of 
Wisconsin, Inc., at Milwaukee. 
Wisconsin has rapidly come to the front 
in exhibition dahlia growing. It is also one 
of the leading trial sections for new seed- 
lings. The society is under the capable 
leadership of the well-known dahlia authority 
and writer, George R. Currie of Sheboygan. 
It will be a quality show. 
Cultural Hints 
Although dahlias may be grown in al- 
most any ordinary garden soil, to produce a 
beautiful effect in massed color, with but 
little attention, they respond very readily to 
a little extra care. 
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 gar- 
den; (4) proper planting; (5) cultivation; 
(6) intelligent fertilization and spraying; (7) 
: pruning and dis-budding; and (8) the suc- 
LORD OF AUTUMN IN OUR GARDEN cessful winter storage of the clumps. 

Factors (1) and (2) need no comment other than that varieties which we offer in this 
catalogue are the result of several years of careful selection from the finest novelties 
placed on the market from all parts of the world. Each year we try many new sorts, then 
discard those which have no definite place in the better class gardens, and offer only the 
best to our customers. Our fields are carefully and frequently inspected. All interior 
plants and those showing any symptoms of disease are destroyed. Our cultural methods 
are productive of the very finest quality roots and plants obtainable. 
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 regrettable 
since it is a factor which may be easily controlled. 
The soil of the garden should be kept loose while the plants are growing, 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 sup- 
plied by planting a cover crop of rye in the fall to spade under in the spring, peat moss 
3] 
