158 



up on the approach of a sharp frost, and placed in the green-house 

 in a pot for the winter. 



In the spring of 1805 all the parcels of seed sent from abroad 

 M^ere sown, and many Dahlias came up among them, which at the 

 time of flowering showed four distinct species or varieties. It seems 

 that Cavanilles, and the French botanists after him, mean to make 

 as many species as there arc dilFereut coloured Dahlias ; but the 

 learned Mr. Salisbury, one of the Vice Presidents last year of the 

 Linnean Society, considers them ail simpl}' as varieties of only two 

 distinct species, and has in the Poradhus Londinensis named them, 

 not according to their colour, but after the diftercnces of their leaves, 

 being inclined to believe that they will in time vary like the China 

 Aster and Mary gold. 



And, in fact, with regard to the Dahlia Piniwfa, now commonly 

 called Purpurea, we have great reason to confirm that botanist's 

 suspicion, having seen nine different varieties of it, cither in the 

 colour or multiplication of the petals. Tiie flower, in its natural 

 state, has only eight //g?//(7/ed petals: a few had Iwchc. 'J'hcrc was 

 also one jjlant M'ith archdonble flowers, exceedingly pale : another 

 with archdouble flowers, exceeding deep purple, exactly like that 

 figured in the Annaks da Mus. but the flowers were so complicated 

 together, and the autumn of 1805 so cold, they never expanded. We 

 must observe, that the leaves of this plant were bipinnated, but 

 whether it is a real distinct species is not yet positively ascertained. 



The Dahlia Ttosea was in the year 1805 the most handsome, and 

 ripened plenty of seeds, 'i'lie Purpurea rijjened fewer and weaker 

 seeds, though they now (10th May, 18o6) come up freely; the 

 plants, however, look weak. Of the seeds of Coccinea and Crocata, 

 no plants have yet appeared, though to the eye they seemed as ])er- 

 fecl as those imported from Spain. 



All the i)lants of 1805, exce|)t one, were taken up before Christ- 

 mas, and planted in jiols or large pans; but though kept in a very 

 cold green-house, they began to jnish new shoots in the middle of 

 April, and will be planted in the open ground without the help of 



