Evening star., 1938-09-17

to friends and neighbors SO that one
dahlia fan usually has a number Of
others growing them.
The color range Of the dahlia Is
3nfinite-except there are no shades
Of blue. This gorgeous fall flower may
be had in white, all Of the shades of
pink, reds-from lightest to darkest;
pale yellows and deep yellows, orange,
lilac, lavender, as well as combinations
Of them. The types Of flowers are
equally varied and today's lists divide
them into II main groups: The cactus,
hybrid-cactus, formal decorative, in
formal decorative, peony, single, COL
larette, anemone- -flowered, snow (balD
duplex and miniature. The minia-
lures are small editions OF the pre-
ceding types, ie., single, double, cactus,
miniatures, etc.
The POPULARITY of the dahlia as a
fall flower is we'll attested by the large
number of dahlia clubs and societies
throughout the country. Here in
Washington we have the National
Capital Dahlia Society. which an
nually sponsors a regional dahlia
show. Then there is the American
Dahlia Society, which is Nationwide
, In its membership.
We find dahlia fans in all walks of
life. Almost every section of the
country has its dahlia growers and
dahlia clubs and societies When once
bitten by the bug, dahlia fans forget
all else in their common interest. Sec
retary of the Interior H. E. Ickes is
both dahlia grower and hybridizer,
having produced a number of meri-
torious seedlings.
DAHL1As are grown from Canada
to the Gulf of Mexico and from
California to Maine in a variety of
soils and climatic conditions Given
favorable conditions, however, they
do much better. Although a native
OF Mexico, where the summers are
hot and dry, the dahlia needs con-
siderable moisture for optimum growth.
Standing water is harmful at any
S&@eS Va 6lO~Ull. lluS lOl kUOu
growth the soil should be well drained
and contain sufficient humus to hold
moisture for the plants development.
A soil rich in nitrogen is not suitable
for dahlias, as nitrogen promotes ex-
cessive foliage and too few flowers.
Moderate tilization-including ap-
locations Of phosphate and potash are
beneficial.
Dahlias do not do we'll in shade,
although some protection from the hot
afternoon sun is beneficial. Neither
do they do well exposed in strong
winds as they are somewhat brittle.
In the fall, when the plants are loaded
with bloom. high winds sometimes
break the plants to pieces unless they
are properly staked.
As rule dahlias in this area are
not greatly bothered by either insects
or diseases. Occasionally the stem
borer appears. 1t can be controlled
by Sitting the stem with small knife
blade-killing the borer as the cut is
made. Or, small hole may be made
Tn the stem and few drops of carbon
bisulphide squirted into the hole.
Mildew is propably the most common
trouble encountered in growing dahlias
but even that is not often serious.
Phlox, roses. and Elacs are more often
injured by mildew than are dahlias.
busting with sulphur, or spraying
with one Of the fungicides will prevent
the mildew from becoming established.
X X
OAHL1AS are grown from tubers,
from cuttings and from seed.
Most growers depend upon tubers for
their plants. The dahlia tuber is un-
Nike potato in that the eyes from
which the new shoots emerge are on
che stalk and not on the tuber. Thus
care must be taken not to break the
neck connecting the tuber and the
stalk. When the gardener digs his
dahlias he will find clump of tubers
attached to the old stalks. These