the stalk and separate the clump. If “eyes” are difficult to find, 
allow clumps to sprout in the spring before dividing. With an 
indelible pencil, mark each wet root so that you can later ident- 
ify it. Dip cut ends in sulphur and store in deep sand. Do - not 
dry your roots in the sun. 
PESTS AND DISEASE 
PESTS. Every week, dust with a mixture of 5% DDT and sul- 
phur. This will control nearly everything except aphis and these 
can be controlled with a nicotine spray and ant poison. It is not 
advisahle to use an oil spray after dusting with sulphur. Watch 
for cutworms. They hide just under the soil during the day and 
at night they come out and cause their exasperating damage. 
Build a 6” barrier of tar paper around the plant. 
MILDEW. Mildew is one of the most serious diseases a dahlia 
can have and the easiest to control. Injury to the plant is due to 
exclusion of light, excessive loss of water from infected leaves, 
and excessive respiration, which may reach 650% that of nor- 
mal plants, burning up the carbohydrates that should be used for 
growth and flower formation. Fermate or sulphur dust will 
control this disease very well. Dust under the leaves also. 
GREENHOUSE THRIP. Late in the summer watch for the 
greenhouse thrip. This small, sluggish insect attacks the under 
side of the leaves, beginning with the lower ones. These leaves 
soon die leaving an unsightly plant, or as someone said, “ a plant 
without any pants.” This naturally cuts down on the _ food 
manufacturing (photosynthesis) area of the plant and the re- 
sult is weak plants the next year. DDT dust or spray will control. 
BOTRYTIS BLIGHT. This is one of a family of destructive 
blights caused by minute fungi in early to late fall. The char- 
acteristic brownish-gray mold lives on the living tissues of the 
buds, causing them to rot before they reach the size of a dime. 
The main damage is done when it attacks the seed pod: In gen- 
eral, to control Botrytis trouble burn all diseased plant parts, 
old blooms and plant debris in the autumn; spray your buds and 
seed pods with a weak bordeaux mixture. 
ANTS. There is a small ant about 1/16” long, red head and black 
abdomen, that will attack the dahlia young or old, and can go 
so far as to kill the plant, by girdling the stem near the sur- 
face of the ground. These pests will sting for no reason at 
all if he finds himself on you. Kill him and his entire tribe 
with 50% DDT powdered around the stalk. We have found that 
regular ant poisons do not affect this one. 
We are constantly alert for mosiac stunt and leaf spot in 
our greenhouse, lath house, and garden throughout the year. If 
we find any such plant, we spray the entire area, then burn the 
plant. Our stock is exceptionally clean. 
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