43* 



DAHLtA. 



THE EtfGLtSti FLOWE& GARDEN. 



DAHLIA. 



Cameron, Eden, Fusilier, Nightingale, 

 Royal Scot, Starling, Scarlet Queen, 

 Wren. 



FANCY DAHLIAS. These are not so 

 much grown in gardens as formerly, 

 but are still seen at the exhibi- 

 tion, Dahlias being shown in a far 

 freer way than was usual a genera- 

 tion ago, and the Cactus and Single 

 classes have, to some extent, over- 

 shadowed the formal Show and Fancy 

 varieties. The reason why these are 

 less valuable than many other kinds 

 of Dahlia in the garden is because of 

 the weight of the flowers. There is 

 little graceful beauty about them, the 

 stems being bent with the burden of 

 a too heavy blossom, hence the greater 

 popularity of the many lovely Cactus 

 varieties. 



Fancy Dahlias are Buffalo Bill, 

 Charles Wyatt, Comedian, Duchess 

 of Albany, Frank Pearce, Gaiety, 

 General Gordon, H. Eckford, H. Glass- 

 cock, Fanny Sturt, Mrs Ocock, Mrs 

 Saunders, Peacock, Rebecca, Rev. J. B. 

 M. Camm, Sunset, T. W. Girdlestone. 



P^ONY-FLOWERED DAHLIAS. The 



flower-heads are of huge size on 

 vigorous habited plants. Aprodite, 

 Amber Queen, Beacon, Edina, Fire 

 Dragon, Holman Hunt, Old Gold, 

 Portia, and White Flag are some good 

 and distinct sorts. 



POMPON OR BOUQUET DAHLIAS. 

 These should be quite small, as the 

 name Pompon suggests, not like a 

 Show or Fancy Dahlia. Although 

 many additions have been made to 

 this section, the pure white variety, 

 White Aster, still retains its popularity, 

 and it is grown largely for cutting, and 

 also for its effects. The Pompon 

 Dahlias are very free-blooming, throw- 

 ing their charming flowers well above 

 the leaves. Admiration, Arthur West, 

 Countess von Sternberg, Coquette, 

 Crimson Beauty, Cupid, Darkness, 

 Dove, E. F. Jungker, Eurydice, Eva, 

 Fairy Tales, Gem, German Favourite, 

 Glowworm, Golden Gem, Hedwig Poll- 

 wig, Juno, Lilian, Little Bobby, Little 

 Ethel, Marion, Midget, Pure Love, 

 Tommy Keith, Vivid, White Aster. 



SINGLE DAHLIAS. D. coccinea (D. 

 Mercki), D. variabilis, and others 

 formed the foundation, so to say, of 

 this group. The value of Single 

 Dahlias as beautiful garden flowers 

 was not considered until a reaction 

 set in against the show blooms, and 

 then the elegant single kinds became 

 popular. In the best kinds the flowers 

 are carried erect above the foliage, the 



growth bushy and the flowers abun- 

 dant. No summer flower gives a 

 greater variety of brilliant colours, 

 rich selfs and delicate hues of mauve 

 and rose to pure white. With all this 

 choice, one, unfortunately, sees much 

 of the striped kinds, too often praised, 

 for the reason perhaps that they are 

 well shown at some exhibition ; but 

 a new Dahlia should be seen in the 

 garden to judge of its merits. The 

 striped kinds are also sportive, like 

 striped Carnations, and depend in a 

 large measure for their peculiar colour 

 upon the weather. This class must 

 not be confounded with those that have 

 flowers boldly margined with colour. 

 As the round-flowered form of Single 

 Dahlia is declining in popularity one 

 sees less of the big saucer-shaped 

 blooms, so large that it was necessary 

 to support them when gathered. 

 These flabby varieties won few friends, 

 and the more recent kinds are far 

 smaller and better. Cardinal, Chil- 

 well Beauty, Conspicua, Duke of York, 

 Duchess of Westminster, Eclipse, En- 

 sign, Evelyn, Gulielpna, Jack, James 

 Scobie, Kitty, Morning Glow, Midget 

 Improved, Mikado, Magpie, Nellie, 

 Paragon, Rose Queen, Yellow Boy, 

 Snowdrop. 



"STAR" OR " COSMEA-FLOWERED " 

 DAHLIAS. These are invaluable for 

 the garden or as cut flowers, and being 

 of medium size, excellent in decoration. 

 Crawley Star, White Star, Yellow Star, 

 Mars, Jupiter, and Mercury are some 

 of them. All are single flowered or 

 semi-double and prodigal bloomers. 



TOM THUMB DAHLIAS. This is a 

 very dwarf race, the plants forming 

 little bushes, but they are not satis- 

 factory, as they appear not to bloom 

 with great freedom, whilst the growth 

 does not retain its true dwarf character. 

 When true, the habit is compact, 

 dense, and the single flowers borne 

 well above the mass of leaves. For- 

 tunately the colours of the flowers are 

 for the most part simple, and raisers 

 should steer clear of the ugly striped 

 kinds. Dwarfing any flower naturally 

 tall and graceful is a doubtful practice. 



SPECIES. Amongst these we may 

 note the following : 



D. COCCINEA. A tall plant with bright 

 scarlet flowers that rarely vary. Nearly 

 related to it, and differing only in some 

 slight points, is D. Cervantesi, also with 

 showy scarlet flowers. 



D. GLABRATA is a beautiful plant 

 dwarf spreading growth, more slen 

 than any of the other species. 



