338 THE FLORIST. 



has amply vindicated the claims its denomination somewhat proudly 

 asserted ; and it certainly occupies the position I anticipated it would 

 fill, when 1 ventured to describe some of the then tbrthcoming novelties 

 in the pages of the Florist about a year since. To this and to Annie, 

 Agincourt, Lord Bath, Ruby Queen, and perhaps The Isigger to complete 

 the half dozen, the designation of first class varieties may be given, 

 Cossack, Empress, Espartero. Goldsmith, Lady Folkestone, and Rose 

 Unique possess many good qualities ; while Admiral Dundas, Constancy, 

 Diadem, Dr. Reed, Glenlyon, and Hoyal Sovereign may be included 

 among the useful sorts. The above-named varieties, 18 in number, 

 have all appeared, more or less frequently, in winning stands, where 

 the majority will be found for some time to come. As regards the fancy 

 Dahlias, the same amount of improvement, in proportion to their 

 number, is apparent. The more important additions of the year are 

 Baron Alderson, Comet, Miss Frampton, Miss Herbert, Surpriser, and 

 La Tropique. The last is not yet so well known as the others, but it 

 is one which will improve on acquaintance. With these Imperatrice 

 Eugenie may, w^ithout nmeh impropriety, be associated ; for, although 

 it is not strictly a flower of 1855, it was not until then it had been 

 seen sufficiently often for its merits to be recognised. Six, at least, out 

 of the seven here enumerated are fairly entitled to rank as first class 

 fancy Dahlias. If I have stated my case correctly, I think I have 

 succeeded in demonstrating that the Dahha does exhibit marks of 

 improvement. 



3. It is impossible to bring to the consideration of my third proposi- 

 tion the same amount of evidence which has been adduced in elucida- 

 tion of the others. The ultimate value of the seedlings exhibited year 

 by year must always be, to a certain extent, a matter of conjecture. 

 The most experienced judge will not always be right in his estimate, 

 and hence it occasionally happens that an uncertificated seedling turns 

 out a first rate thing. This is, in truth, an exceptional occurrence, 

 and I mention it only to remind my readers that I do not pretend to 

 infallibility. The pi-oof which time has given of the general correctness 

 of my description of last year's seedlings, however, emboldens me to 

 make another attempt in the same direction. If what I have to remark 

 respecting the forthcoming sorts be correct, my third and last question 

 must be answered in the affirmative. I have only to add that I place 

 no dependence simply on my own memory ; that my observations are 

 made from notes taken at the leading exhibitions, with the specimens 

 themselves before me ; and that I utterly discard from my mind the 

 number of certificates any individual kind may have obtained, or indeed 

 whether it has ever received a certificate or not. Whether my opinions 

 are right or wrong, valuable or worthless, they are the sole result of my 

 honest estimate of the intrinsic merit of the several subjects. The order 

 in which I place them represents my idea of their relative value. Being 

 no way enlightened in the arcana of " the trade," I cannot pretend to 

 say how many of the following sorts will " come out " next spring. I 

 merely describe them as varieties ''proved" during the season of J 855. 



1. Orange Perfection (Keynes). — This is a beautiful variety, one of 

 the loveliest Dahlias extant. 1 am disposed to give it precedence as 



