New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-09-27
THE DAHLIA TO THE FRONT
Has Dethroned the ChrysaHthemum
as Popular FaCOrite.

The man % fashion has discarded the feather,
chrysanrFeuIuuf - n boatounicre and NOW wears
the Oidtime dahlia 81 It's place. The old fashioned
flower is not only receiving moro attention from
the devotees Of dress. but the ho-ticul-urists
are devotiug great deal Cf time and Thought %
IT, IL all the horticurur1I exhibits it has prom
inent place. and dahIia farms are sp-iuEus up al
the country.
One OF the LARGEST OF these farms is owned by
Waldo +. L0th-op. Of East Brd-evater. Mass.
one Of the suburbs of Boston ~E- farm extends
over six acres. and when the writer saw IL it was
filed with blossoms. Flower lovers f1cl1 TO e. and
its genial owner welcomes them all and Invites
them to walk among the rows % blossoms and
excIaim and admire O. their hearts, ccutsRt-
It is one OF the show places Of Eastern Nassach1-
setts. and "city people who are spending tho
summer IL the vicinity always DIVE over
the floral wonder. one Sunday this sumner there
were seven hUadred sightseers scattered ever the
farm. a1d none Of them went away empty houGed.
FOR every visitor IS seized with desire possess
some OF the blooms. and tor the sum of . cents
he gets all he can hold
In one corner is huge mass % exclusive BIOS
sons the cactus dahias which are much uNs
chrysauthernums except that their petals ara Hrtl
less feathery- The colors OF blossoms -ich.
some OF such dark shade OF Ted 20 be almost
black This dark variety Is difficult raise. tho
dew and combine TO scorcl and tracken ths
under petals before the bud has fairly b.oss0med-
All species Of dahlias grow very huublv.. boWins-
their heads toward the ground so that the petals
nearest the stalk wither the most quickly. There
are deep rose cactus blossoms with unusually fns
petals blossoms Of Harvard color watch would
be IN great quantities 20 the great November
games II the frosts did put end 90 tho
Gahlia season. dead white blossoms. and beautiful
golden yellow blossoms so massed together that
trey make dazzling spot in end q the He'd.
The vari-colored dahias not found 70 any great
extent among this cactus variety.
The farm is planted from May 90 until the middle
Of June. the common varieties going into ths
ground later than the cactus variety. The bulbs
are planted by hand. five six feet apart. and it
takes two and a boy two or three weeks 70
finish planting After they put into the ground
they require little attention Sometimes vigorous
crop OF barn grass vii spring up. and then there
5 trouble for while This season the barn grass
unusually tarifty. and six wagon loads os thu
stun taken out IN order 20 the dthlas-
After the blossoms begin 20 appear the plants re-
quire careful pruning. and results are much more
satisfactory II the withered blossoms are cut or.
The grower OF daHIi7s seeks to make bis blossoms
perfect BALL that IS the petals nearest the stalk
must drOop down on 90 i'm a SIGHT mass 50 that
the entire bloom Will De az perfectly round as pos
sible. Insects and worms leave the dark varieties
alone. but the aster bug finds the uEar varieties
a toOthsOme morseL
The bulbs are set out IN rows. the several vario-
ties being kept together. that the vast field -
notified with patches OF color yellow IN spot.
lavender In another. pink in another white in an
other and bright red In another A there are so
varieties this farm. the coIor effect IS vivid
The ale wine is in che lead. FOR there are seven
hundred plants OF that variety. The blossom IS y
blush white. shading down in tho centre into q
beautiful lavender. the effect OF a Of them
being distinctly lavender. Although the blossoms
are dainty Affairs. the plants themselves are hardy
and grow without much care. The perle &c In Jats
dor IS another variety which appears IN great NUM-
bers. and It's particular corner OF the field - cons
spicUous because Of tine cleaning Wilderness OF tia
blossoms The Grandduke Alexis claims atten-
ton. with four hundred hills its credit and ft
"A cot r. W g tr5 cold "a
pale violet Something Of a freak IS Le C0Ilose.
MLic mas e7vI H5'oT I ~ Er'| Va, a o,o5 7 hlns
lose any OK its beauty because " its tendency TO
LOthrOp has some seedlings Of his own Of whicfE
b he RroI I,s M Md Es B55b2 P ICY and
and it wes not until Mr. LothrOp thought % thS
what 70 call IT, Then he promptly dubbed "a
s5me OF the blossoms insist on being freaks AMI
demand attention on account OF their strange nil-
dash dash Of red across it,, aud another wiz have
stripes. splotches and patches all mingled tosether
distinct from the blooms which are Iesignedly OF
w" w. or more GJlogs rm.E 7ff+4-eL- Lhei- as
their own admirers in spite Of the s9-gsousuoss 90
their double brothers Then there are many ex-
quisite blooms imported from Holland. scotland
Each Variety IS carefully numbered and ftq num-
Der and name recorded % book the fall tho
numbered 10 correspond With the variety il con-
Wholesale orders for bulbs make such "A farm
worth while Mr.. L0rhrop sends his bulbs % New
1o-k. Boston NeS-Bedtort Springfield. Mass:
as far as spain The blossoms themselves are sold
to The crowds Of visitors who come 70 ne farm.
Since the dahla has become q fad. dahlil weddings
this Hover not at all unusual.
rather than by design. Caring for flowers. Is pur-
chased a dozen tahlla bulbs. 2et d-d not even
six dozen bulbs ana studied how To- grow them
. Y D