The Dahlia Situation 



By Richard Rothe 



Taking a broad view of the dahlia situation, the won- 

 derful development during the last decade resulting in 

 a superior race both in color and form is, to say the least, 



Courtesy of Hen 



NEW CACTUS DAHUA— MARGUERITE BOUCHON. 



highly encouraging. The old tall and rank growing 

 varieties occupying a secluded space along back yard 

 fences have been gradually superseded by medium and 

 low-growing types less depending on stake support, earlier 

 in flowering, carrying their abundance of buds on long, 

 erect stems free above the attractive foliage. 



During the last five years I have been taking 

 the opportunity to introduce a selection of the 

 output on novelties to the society classes of 

 Nortliern summer resorts. The keen interest, 

 particularly in the cactus class, the preference of 

 clear and solid colors for artistic interior decora- 

 tion, and the readiness to rectify the attitude 

 toward the dahlia by changing their growing 

 quarters from the rear into the front part of the 

 grounds speaks for the quick apprehension of 

 ornamental merits of our flower-loving garden 

 owners. 



Returning from the isolated and comparatively 

 limited sphere of activity in the Northern summer 

 resort with ideal growing conditions into the 

 central horticultural section with its metro- 

 politan expansiveness I saw my pets last fall in 

 rank and file with the world's dahlia output on 

 the 45-acre field in Riverview, occupied by nearly 

 700 distinct varieties. In realizing the more diffi- 

 cult problems of the grower in the less favorable 

 hot summer climate of the Middle Atlantic and 

 Central States iny expectations in regard to the 

 perfection and size of the flowers were, of course, 

 modified. The actual state of affairs to be true, 

 leaves no doubt of the great future of the dahlia 

 for excellent fall effects. The most perplexing 

 feature at present seems to me the vast number 

 of varieties and the necessary throwing over- 

 board of the unworthv ballast. As stated bv com- 



petent writers on various occasions, the applying of the 

 term unworthy must vary as much as the climatic condi- 

 tion of our country differs. In an endeavor to come 

 nearer to establishing the highest standard of varieties 

 according to climatic conditions in various districts we 

 must, to a large extent, depend on the intelligent co- 

 operation of purchasers. 



Systematic work of Dahlia Auxiliary Committees of 

 Horticultural Societies in handing down annual reports 

 would doubtless bring us nearer to the desired end. 

 Private gardeners abreast of their time as buyers and 

 l; rowers of novelties are frequently in a position to ren- 

 der valuable information. Publicity after judicious 

 and careful trial is apt to clear the situation. Saving 

 time and money, it will elevate the dahlia more than 

 hitherto in public favor. It is also bound to throw 

 more light on the proper treatment and require- 

 ments according to locality. The lack of this get- 

 ting together spirit for the advance of a common 

 cause, although during recent years more and more 

 in vain, appears by no means fully overcome. We 

 have among the rank and file of the more intelligent class 

 of the American private gardeners, men of marked prac- 

 tical ability and ample experience. Our exhibitions bear 

 witness thereof. We can go a step further and justly and 

 proudly say we have men of education and refinement, 

 crafty and respect commanding personalities ; but how 

 many of these find it worth their while to sacrifice a few 

 hours concentrating their thoughts in an endeavor to 

 write a helpful essay on a timely professional topic? 



Granted, writing is not everyone's vocation. Vanity 

 finds little reward, for the present busy generation is 

 ungrateful and very quick in forgetting. The returns in 

 dollars and cents for this work are of necessity meagre 

 indeed, for the American subscriber pays only a small 

 fraction of the amount the European pays for his journal. 

 Nevertheless, it has been asserted that it is an undeniable 

 attribute of the Germanic races — Anglo-Saxon, German, 

 Scandinavian and, last but not least, American — to be 



Courtesy of Hi 



NEW CACTUS DAHLIA—SCHXEEKOENIGIN, WHITE 



