﻿230 
  Retrograde 
  Varieties 
  

  

  has 
  large 
  tufts 
  of 
  green 
  bracts 
  instead 
  of 
  flow- 
  

   ering 
  heads, 
  the 
  scales 
  of 
  the 
  receptacle 
  having 
  

   assumed 
  the 
  texture 
  and 
  venation 
  of 
  leaves, 
  and 
  

   being 
  in 
  some 
  measure 
  as 
  fleshy. 
  But 
  the 
  

   green 
  heads 
  retain 
  the 
  form 
  of 
  the 
  ordinary 
  

   flower-heads, 
  and 
  as 
  they 
  have 
  no 
  real 
  florets 
  

   that 
  may 
  fade 
  away, 
  they 
  remain 
  unchanged 
  on 
  

   the 
  plants, 
  and 
  increase 
  in 
  number 
  through 
  the 
  

   whole 
  summer. 
  The 
  new 
  types 
  of 
  green 
  dahlia 
  

   however, 
  with 
  which 
  I 
  have 
  now 
  to 
  deal, 
  are 
  

   distinguished 
  by 
  the 
  elongation 
  of 
  the 
  axis 
  of 
  the 
  

   head, 
  which 
  is 
  thereby 
  changed 
  into 
  a 
  long 
  leafy 
  

   stalk, 
  attaining 
  a 
  length 
  of 
  several 
  inches. 
  

   These 
  stalks 
  continue 
  growing 
  for 
  a 
  very 
  long 
  

   time, 
  and 
  for 
  the 
  most 
  part 
  die 
  without 
  produc- 
  

   ing 
  anything 
  else 
  than 
  green 
  fleshy 
  scales. 
  

  

  This 
  long-headed 
  green 
  dahlia 
  originated 
  at 
  

   Haarlem 
  some 
  years 
  ago, 
  in 
  the 
  nursery 
  of 
  

   Messrs. 
  Zocher 
  & 
  Co. 
  It 
  was 
  seen 
  to 
  arise 
  

   twice, 
  from 
  different 
  varieties. 
  Both 
  of 
  these 
  

   were 
  double-flowered, 
  one 
  a 
  deep 
  carmine 
  with 
  

   white 
  tips 
  on 
  the 
  rays, 
  the 
  other 
  of 
  a 
  pale 
  orange 
  

   tint, 
  known 
  by 
  the 
  name 
  of 
  " 
  Surprise.' 
  As 
  

   they 
  did 
  not 
  bear 
  any 
  florets 
  or 
  seeds, 
  they 
  were 
  

   quite 
  sterile. 
  The 
  strain 
  arising 
  from 
  the 
  car- 
  

   mine 
  variety 
  was 
  kindly 
  given 
  to 
  me 
  by 
  Messrs. 
  

   Zocher 
  & 
  Co., 
  and 
  was 
  propagated 
  in 
  my 
  gar- 
  

   den, 
  while 
  the 
  other 
  was 
  kept 
  in 
  the 
  nursery. 
  

   In 
  the 
  earlier 
  cultures 
  both 
  remained 
  true 
  to 
  

  

  