REMARKS ON THE DAHLIA. 131 



tee, or the secretary of a society would take the trouble to attend 

 the next Dahlia exhibition of the Metropolitan Society of Florists 

 and Amateurs on August 1 1, or September 8th, he might then have 

 a good idea of deservedly awarding prizes. Or even take the rules 

 I have before alluded to as a criterion. We should not then see such 

 monstrous ' broomhead' flowers, utterly void of good form, taking the 

 first, or even any prize at all, in an exhibition ! The stands would 

 no longer be disgraced with the broomhead size, and more unique in 

 form would be substituted in lieu thereof. 



It is surprising to observe the different constitutions of the Dahlia, 

 some kinds produce the most perfect blooms when almost im- 

 poverished, when on the other hand, if they are grown luxuriantly, 

 all the blooms come with an eye, or otherwise imperfect. Whereas 

 some kinds if not grown in fresh good soil, produce small half double 

 blooms, and during the whole season, not a good bloom, from the 

 plant so grown, can be produced. The season and situation, likewise, 

 have a great effect upon some of the kinds, as well as extensive 

 propagation. This was the case with the Newick Rival last sea- 

 son, to the disappointment and vexation of many ; which Messrs. 

 Young and Penny so extensively propagated, and scarcely a 

 single plant produced a bloom that might be called good, only with 

 the exception of the first few cuttings taken off before the parent root 

 was too much exhausted ; and it is to be feared some of our highlv 

 described flowers will disappoint several, merely because they 

 have been so much propagated. Persons raising seedling Dahlias, 

 should not dispose of them until they possess a sufficient qunntity of 

 roots of each, so that only a few will be required from each indi- 

 vidual root. I am persuaded if this method was adopted, our new 

 flowers would answer more to the description given of them in the 

 catalogues. 



The greatest alteration generally takes place with seedlings. Some 

 kinds when grown in the seed-beds in poor soils appear very beauti- 

 ful, but, when propagated the following season and bloomed, they 

 prove to be every thing but perfect and good, and disappoint the ex- 

 pectation previously formed of them. I have seen instances where 

 the raiser of seedlings, plants them out with all the care he takes with 

 his general collection, in fresh rich soil,&c, thinking, probably, that 

 if they proved good with that treatment, he might rely upon their 

 appearing so ever afterwards — but in this, disappointment generally 

 occurs, for when the situation is changed, and numbers of plants are 

 dispersed amongst " The Fancy," some may produce fine good 

 flowers, whilst others are utterly worthless. The most sure way of 



