Plate 112. 

 DAHLIA, QUEEN OF BEAUTIES. 



This grand autumnal flower, however much it may be neg- 

 lected in comparison with former times, when it formed the 

 subject of continued interest amongst a large class of florists. 

 has yet some constant and devoted admirers. It makes still a 

 grand feature at most of our autumnal exhibitions, ami is still 

 to he seen ornamenting, with its varied colours and exquisite 

 shape, many a garden where bedding-out has not absorbed all 

 the energies of the gardener, or claimed all the space in the 

 garden. 



Amongst the most constant of its admirers is the raiser of 

 tin' (lower now figured, viz. the Rev. Charles Fellowes, of Shot- 

 tisham. Norfolk. We remember, many years ago. visiting his 

 rectory-garden, and being very much astonished at the compa- 

 ratively small number of seedlings that be grew, as compared 

 with the valuable varieties he had raised and sent out. This is 

 an evidence of wisdom, and, to a certain extent, of skill; we 

 have known thousands of seedlings raised, and hardly a good 

 flower obtained, while here, with a few hundreds, first-rate sorts 

 were constantly being added. 



To such perfection has the hybridization of the Dahlia been 

 brought, that it seems almost impossible to improve upon it; 

 the shape is as near perfection as possible, and it is only when 

 some new shade or tint of colour is obtained that we can claim 

 that improvement ; such was the case with Flambeau, figured 

 in our last volume (p. '120), and so we maj say with Queen of 

 Beauties, the delicate colour of the ground, and the distinctness 

 of the marking, making it a most desirable acquisition both for 

 the Dahlia fancier and for the garden. It was. as we have said. 



