CHAP. VIII.] DAHLIA. 245 



There are many very ornamental species of 

 anemone, one of which (A. apennina) has beau- 

 tiful pale blue flowers; another (A. palmata) 

 has brilliant yellow flowers ; and A. vitifolia 

 has large white flowers. The most ornamental 

 species is, however, A. japonica, a native of 

 China, which was introduced in 1846. It is 

 quite hardy, and does not require taking up in 

 winter. Some varieties of the Japan Anemone 

 have been originated in this country, but they 

 do not rank as florists' flowers. 



The Dahlia is so well known, and so inte- 

 resting a flower, that it appears advisable to say 

 a few words respecting its history, as well as 

 its cultivation. Nearly all the innumerable 

 kinds now grown in British gardens are varie- 

 ties of D. variabilis, which was discovered by 

 Baron Humboldt, in Mexico, in 1788, and 

 introduced into England through Spain the 

 following year. The first plant was received in 

 England by the Marchioness of Bute, and 

 appears to have been soon lost; and this spe- 

 cies of Dahlia was unknown in England till it 

 was re-introduced in 1804 by Lady Holland, who 

 brought seeds of it in that year from Madrid. 

 In the meantime, another species (D. coccinea) 

 had been brought from Mexico to France, from 

 which country it was sent to England in 1802. 



Nothing more appears to have been heard of 

 the dahlia (except the introduction of a purple- 

 flowered species, D. astrantiseflora, in 1812) till 

 1814, when roots of D. coccinea, and of several 

 of the varieties of D. variabilis, were imported 

 from France and Germany. From this period 

 the dahlia appears to have been gradually 



