Dahlias. 131 



general e£fect to allow all to survive. Some of these are sure to 

 go sooner or later, and the sooner the better. In such cases it is 

 often simply a question of individual preference. In the case of 

 some fifteen pompons where judgment has been suspended, the 

 problem has resolved itself into a mere matter of relative profuse- 

 ness. The prolific habit is sometimes fixed in the variety, and 

 sometimes varies from year to year according to cultural condi- 

 tions. This important character cannot be determined in a single 

 year. 



Some of the best known varieties are sadly missing from the 

 recommended list, simply because of their behavior in this one 

 locality. It is very trying to keep silent about Red and Blacky a 

 beautiful banded cactus variety because it was not prolific enough 

 at one place, one year. We must have a high standard, particu- 

 larly of profuseness. It is also hard to deny myself the pleasure 

 of putting Clifford W. B niton and Mrs. W. H. Maule in the 

 recommended list, on the strengh of seeing them elsewhere. 

 These varieties were not sent to us. The former is by all odds 

 the purest yellow of any large cactus I know of. The latter has 

 a red flower with a wonderful bluish cast, giving an iridescent 

 effect. Then again, there are many good varieties which are not 

 recommended simply because there are better ones in sight or to 

 be hoped for. Sternfalter and Glare of the Garden are examples. 



I do not believe the general public needs more than three hun- 

 dred of the two thousand or more varieties now offered by name, 

 but I suppose that there are at least three hundred varieties so 

 pronounced and individual that no one could wish them any 

 different. Let us suppose that there are seven factors that make 

 a variety desirable : 



Height — say five degrees, between very dwarf and very tall. 



Foliage— at least five types. 



Form of flower — say three types, that of D. variabilis, D. Juarezii, and of 

 forms intermediate between these two species. 



Doubleness of flower — say only two degrees. 



Size of flowers — say only two degrees, large and small. 



Color of flowers — say thirty easily recognized colors. 



Variegation— say ten styles of marking. 



The man with one standard of beauty ought to blush for shame 

 at the suggestion of the combinations made possible by the mul- 



