DAHLIA CULTURE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19135, 2 October 1936, Page 2

DAHLIA CULTURE

EARLY PROPAGATION HISTORY OF THE PLANT TALK P.Y MR. MORRIS An interesting talk, entitled "Dahlia Culture," was given by Mr. W. .T. Morris at a meeting of the nowlyTormer Gladioli Society held in the Women's Club rooms on Wednesday evening. "During tho fifteenth and sixteenth centuries several expeditions left Spain for liie purpose of exploring the interior of Mexico,", said Mr. Morris. "So glowing wore the reports sent back that in 1570 King Phillip of Spain sent a man named Hernandes to Mexico to study the resources of that country. "Hernandes was neither botanist nor artist, but: he undertook to write a book on the plant and animal life that he found, and in that book were pictures of two specimens of dahlias which were called acoe.otli and cocoxochitl, meaning water-pipe or water-canc, and cane-flower. The acoeotli was a duplex and cocoxochitc was undoubtedly a pcouy-flowered type. * ''The first seeds of the dahlia were sent to Europe %n 1780 and were propagated by Abbe Cavanilles, who was at that time the director of the Royal gardens at. Madrid. These seeds pro dueed flowers of brilliant hue and were, the first ancestors of our gorgeous modem dahlias. Andrias D.thl was a great Swedish botanist living-in Berlin and it was in his honour that Cavanilles named his new plant dahlia. "The history of the dahlia is both interesting and amusing, for Ihe number of mistakes that were made caused many arguments among botanists .of all nations. Seed of plants producing red flowers sont to other gardens '" produced plants bearing yellow or white flowers. To-day, as "the result of the ..wonderful work of those men, we are not only able to perpetuate any variety of special merit by propagation with cutting and division, but by careful crosspollination we are able to add to the already wonderful types and colour of the dahlia. METHODS OF PROPAGATION. "There are throe methods of propagation practised by growers. The first is by seed and it is by this means that manv hundreds of new varieties are added to the catalogues of various growers. . . "The second is by division, find is the method usually adopted by the small grower. This is done by cutting off a tuber leaving a portion of the old stem attached. Leaving a portion of the old stem is important, because, unlike the potato, the tuber has no eve. The eye-shoot of the dahlia is situated about the knuckle portion of the stem or where the tuber joins the stem, "The practice of cutting the clump | into two or three sections is not recommended. The objection to this method is that sometimes three to 10 shoots are sent up and are usually allowed to grow in n space whitfh should have had only one. There is not enough available plant lood in so small a space to nourish more than one hungrv plant. What flowers do come are* small and poor, and the double varieties, seeming to fear that their species may become extinct, put, out. a few single or semi-double blossoms hoping that their seed will carry .on what their roots are unable to do. THE PLANTING OF CUTTINGS. "The third method is by cuttings, which is used by commercial growers and is the most, popular for producing good blooms for the show bench. This is done, by placing the tubers in a sand frame or raised bed curly in August. About the first week in September they should- commence to sho.ot. These shoots when about 2\n. or iiiu. high are cut just: below ihe node and inserted in clean wet sand. Wainui sand is ideal for this purpose. The sand must be always damp and warm arid kept at a temperature of from 60 to 70 degrees. Stagnant air and wet, cold sand will cause the cuttings to damp oil". '.'ln about three weeks, sometimes more, the cuttings will have rooted and should be potted into 3in. pots, using a sandy loam mixed with well decayed leaf V mould, and placed in a warm, sheltered position. Allow the plants to grow slowly until it is time to set them in their permanent beds. Slow growth is very important because it gives the constitution to the plant, for the rest of its life. It must have time to assimilate its food and the formation of the baby tubers is more important than the growth of the leaves. "When buying plants propagated in this way, make sure that the plants are well rooted; the roots should be plentiful on the outside of the mould when tipped out of the pot. "A fourth method is by grafting a. shoot onto a tuber, but is seldom used as there is very little to be gained by it." At the conclusion of bin address, Mr. Morris answered a large number of questions.

On the motion of the chairman, the lecturer was accorded a hearty vote of thanks for his instructive talk.