For December, I')2l 



799 



A Few of the Newer Dahlias 



W. H. WAITE 



TO the dahlia enthusiast, the noveUies of tht- 

 year are always a source of enjoyment and 

 interest ; sometimes there are disappointments, 

 a few not doing as well as might be expected, not 

 coming up to descriptions or expectations, yet we are 

 always looking for improvements and the enthusiast 



Judge Marean 



canncjt be without the new ones. Most of the novel- 

 ties that I purchased last year have done exceedingly 

 well, and 1 give here a few notes which may help some 

 readers who wish to add to their collections. 



The past season has not been what one would call 

 a very good one for the dahlia; during August they 

 did splendidly, but the greater part of September was 

 altogether too warm, and consequently many of them 

 suffered. Therefore if any variety has not quite come 

 up to expectations, I should not condemn it but would 

 give it another trial. I have been more and more im- 

 pressed the past season on the advisability of late 

 planting, for the section of the country, in which I 

 am situated, Monmouth County, New Jersey. I would 

 not advocate planting before June first, and I make 

 several plantings a week apart. 



Personally I prefer young plants, as I alwa\ s 

 secure better results from them, provided they have 

 been propagated at the proper time, and not allowed 

 to become stunted. If one is using tubers, care should 

 be taken that the tuber is perfect, and divided to onh 

 one e3'e. 



The following varieties 1 have given a good trial. 

 While 1 am discarding some twenty-five varictir-- 

 this year, the ones I mention will. I think, have a 

 permanent place in my collection for c[uite a few- 

 years. 



Clwrm. Dec(jrative, one of Judge Marean's vari- 

 eties and a splendid grower, wonderful vigor, flowers 

 on long stems, and a beautiful burnt orange color 

 This will make a fine commercial variety. 



Earl Williaiiis. Decorative, a fancy variety from 

 California that attracts attention everywhere. The 

 flowers are almost white with red on the edges of 

 the florets. Like many other fancies, sometimes there 

 is more red than white, and vice versa. When you 

 have a flower with the even mixture of color, it i^ 

 very distinctive. It is also a good grower and a free 

 bloomer. 



E. T. Bedford. Hybrid decorative, from Judge 

 Marean. It is a monster flower, and 1 used to think 

 that people exaggerated when they said they had 

 seen a dahlia twelve inches in diameter, but 1 have 

 had several blooms of this variety, twelve inches and 

 slightly over. The flowers are produced on good stout 

 stems, and are purplish in tone with a silvery reverse. 

 It is a splendid exhibition variety. 



Jersey's Pride. Hybrid decorative. I have given 

 this name to one of my seedlings which I believe will 

 have a future. It was one of the varieties entered at 

 the test garden at Storrs, Conn., and I believe that it 

 scored high and gained a certificate. I have received 

 several letters from people who saw it growing there, 

 giving it great praise. It is a seedling between George 

 \\ alters and King of the Autumn, and so far possesses 

 all the good points and none of the bad ones of its 

 parents. The flowers are a bronze shade, produced 

 very freely on long, straight stems, well above the 

 foliage. 



Mrs. I. de Ver Warner. Decorative, from Judge 

 Marean. If Judge Marean had never raised any other 



.Mrs. JlKUllh I . w,:., .•>; 



dahlia but this one, this alone would li;i\e hkkU- luiii 

 famous. It is, I think, without any doubt the finest 

 dahlia that has ever been introduced. It is a wonder- 

 ful grower and the large, cattlcya colored, jierfertly 

 shaped flowers are jiroduced on long stiff stems. The 



