Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-14
By Henry c. Porker

Member q No,ienui capIsaI !Dshlis Society
This year no less than % DIFF
ferent new dahlia introductions
are listed on the so-called "honor
rolls"
Each year q committee OF the
National Capital Dahlia Society
selects what 1t considers to be
the more outstanding Of the hon.
or roll dahliaS and purchases
tubers Of these varieties.
These tubers are then propa-
gated and the plants raised are
sold at the annual May and June
action sales Of the Society.
Three Aisle Dohlios
This year the committee has
selected three large or A-size
dahliaS:
1. Mary Elizabeth, . IL to II
inch cherry red informal decora-
tive dahlia, winner Of the Amer
lean Dahlia Society Seeding
Award and Of the Grand Cham
pion Award ct last years Mid
west show and listed on all four
honor rolls.
2. Gladys Brewster, 9 inches IN
diameter by 8 inches deep. being
q formal decorative dahlia. .
dark blend of tyrian purple and
white, winner Of the American
Home Achievement Medal and Of
the American Dahlia Society
Seeding Award at last years
Long Island show.
8. DR.. j. Boyer. a flame-colored
informal decorative dahlia which
grows IL inches in diameter by
6 inches deep.
Gladys Brewster and DR.. j.
Boyer are both on the Eastern
honor roll.
The B-Size Selections
Two medium or B-size dahlias
have been selected, these being
Adelaide, an orange formal dec
orative. which grows 6 to z inches
In diameter and is on three
honor rolls. and Rosemary's Dain-
ty, q beautiful pink straight cac-
tus -dahlia growing 6 inches IN
diameter by 3 inches deep. win
ner of the American Dahlia So
ciety Seeding Award at the Mid
west dahlia show and being on
the Eastern honor roll.
Miniature Dohlios
Two small size Of miniature
dahlias have also been selected.
One Of these is Silver Spring,
q light pink formal averaging
about 21a inches In diameter
which was originated locally by
E. r. Phillips Of Silver Spring.
Mr.. Phillips won the American
Home Achievement Medal at
the Williamsburg show with this
variety. It is on all four honor
rolls. The other miniature is
Little Rachel which is q bright
pink straight cactus averaging
312 inches in diameter by 2
inches deep. a profuSe bloomer
and on two honor rolls.
These outstanding varieties
will be much in evidence at the
10th annual Regional Dahlia
Show of the National Capt.
tai Dahlia Society, Septem-
Der IS and Is. at the United
States Botanic Gardens. This
show is expected to be the largest
dahlia show to be held in the
country this year.
DohIio Propagation Methods
About this time Of year dahlia
growers purchase new introduce
lions or take their tubers out
of storage in order to propagate.
BY propagation it is usually pos
sible to obtain from IS to 20
dahlia plants from a single tuber.
From q SIS new introduction it
is possible to obtain say Is
plants selling for IS each. These
plants can, Of course, be sold
or t. AIDED to neighbors or other
growers.
Many people do not know how
easy it is to propagate dahlias
and therefore have missed this
exciting and interesting indoor
sport. It is not necessary to have
a greenhouse or even a cold
frame. A basement window is
all that is required and this does
not even have to be q sunny
window.
The first step is to place the
tuber or q division In . fiat
and cover up to the eye or crown
with wet soil. sand or peat moss
to furnish moisture. This nat
can be placed at some distance
from the window since no sun
light Is required to cause sprouts
to form.