Dahlias. 121 



6. In the march toward chrysanthemum-forms, the long, flat 

 and slender rays will be of most help to get the free, loose, and 

 fluffj^ types. Fimbriated forms, like Giciding Star, are desirable 

 in themselves and may also aid in introducing irregularity. The 

 raj'S of the old show dahlias are too short and stifif. Ragged, 

 untid)^ and intermediate forms have possibilities. 



7. We need more prizes for new forms and less effort to in- 

 crease the range of color. L,et the China-asters have the shades 

 of blue. That is their mission. In Gardeners^ Chronicle, 1879, 

 John Keynes is quoted as saying: "The first good Dahlia I 

 ever raised was Ovid, the seedling root of which I sold to Mount- 

 joy for ^50. I think we have never seen a nearer approach to a 

 blue Dahlia." I have seen colored plates of varieties supposed 

 to be on the way to blue. They were mostly shades of purple. 

 I do not believe that an azure blue can ever be attained through 

 either purple or lavender. Beware of crimson-pink. 



8. We have as yet no forms like the tubular or Japanese 

 anemone-flowered chrysanthemums nor many of the forms of 

 China-asters illustrated in Bulletin 90. Apparently no attempt 

 has been made to lengthen out the disc-florets into long, slender 

 tubes. 



9. Princess Harry and others may have the possibilities of a 

 race similarly to the hairy chrysanthemums. The tendency 

 towards hairiness appeared in England and was patiently sup- 

 pressed before 1888 when the chrysanthemum craze was started 

 in America by the purchase of the hairy variety Mrs. Alpheus 

 Hardy for $1500. 



10. In addition to the five types of foliage already described 

 (p. 109), there is sometimes a peculiar glossiness on the leaves 

 which may perhaps be turned to account. 



11. Dahlias are sometimes slightly fragrant, and at least one 

 skillful plant-breeder is now at work along this line. Perhaps a 

 few curiosities of this sort may be obtained, but the lack of fr? 

 grance is probably a natural limitation. Dahlias have glorifci. 

 enough without fragrance. 



12. The buds often open with dijB&culty and make lop-sided 

 flowers. Chrysanthemums sometimes have this diflSculty and 

 the same misfortune has been known to occur in other com- 



