Dahlias. 127 



Mexico sent me a small case containing different kinds of seeds, 

 bulbs, and flower-roots from that country. The case was a long 

 time on the road, and, as often happens with private importations, 

 the plants arrived in a very poor condition ; the seeds were mixed, 

 partially germinated, and spoiled ; the bulbs and flower-roots rot- 

 ten. However, I kept all that was in a tolerable condition, care- 

 fully^ awaiting the result. At last, from a very small flower-root, 

 a tender shoot developed itself, which soon proved to be a Dahlia. 

 It being winter I could only make cuttings of it. Having taken 

 great care of them, I was much pleased to obtain in the spring of 

 1873 a few 3'Oung plants of this Dahlia. When planted out in 

 June in the open ground with my other Dahlias, it flowered at the 

 same time as these, and not. only surprised me, but all who saw it 

 in bloom, by its large rich crimson flowers, quite different from all 

 other Dahlias. The brilliant red colour of its flowers nearly 

 equaled that of the poppy, and was very showy even at a good 

 distance. My catalogue of 1874, in which year I first introduced 

 that Dahlia to the trade, will prove the truth of my assertions. In 

 that catalogue it is mentioned for the first time under the name of 

 Dahlia Juarezii, which name I gave it in honour of Mr. Jua-rez, 

 then President of Mexico. The fact of Messrs. Ant. Roozkn & 

 Sons, at Overveen, ;^riving it from France, is easily understood, 

 when I say that I yearly send to one of the leading French seeds- 

 men a great many Dahlia roots, amongst which were some of 

 Dahlia Juarezii. It is remarkable that the name of Cactus Dahlia 

 should be used in the Gardeners' Chronicle^ as in my catalogue of 

 1874, in which I first mentioned it, I said that its flowers when 

 seen at some distance resembled those of Cereus (Cactus) speciosis- 

 simus. To maintain the honour of Dutch horticulture, I deem it 

 desirable to write these few lines. — -/. T. Van der Berg, JnxphaaSy 

 near Utrecht.' " 



Books ^ societies and dealers. — There are four books devoted en- 

 tirely to the dahlia, of which only one is modern. * ' The Dahlia,' ' 

 by Lawrence K. Peacock, is an illustrated book of fifty-six pages. 

 The books of E. Sayers, Boston, 1839; Joseph Paxton, London, 

 1838, and of Robert Hogg, London, 1853, are out of print and 

 out of date. 



The secretary of the American Dahlia Society is Lawrence K. 



