16 PRESENT-DAY GARDENING 



M. Van der Berg, who had sent roots to a French firm in 

 the autumn of 1873, distributed it in 1874, having pre- 

 viously named it Yuarezii in honour of the then President 

 of Mexico. 



The cactus Dahlias have enjoyed a high degree of popu- 

 larity, and there is every anticipation that they will for many 

 years hence continue to increase in favour. The diversity 

 in the form and colour of the cactus varieties prepared the 

 flower-loving public for the new race of paeony-flowered 

 varieties, remarkable for the extravagant form and attractive 

 colours of their flowers. These are said to have been intro- 

 duced to this country in 1900, but it was not until the 

 autumn of 1905 that they were shown in London and at 

 several of the continental exhibitions by Messrs. Copyn and 

 Sons, by whom they were introduced to cultivation. They 

 originated from the intercrossing of single and cactus 

 varieties, and presumably those sorts remarkable for their 

 robust habit and the large size of their flowers. 



Yet another type has to be mentioned in this brief his- 

 torical record, and that is the one known as the " collerette " 

 Dahlia. Originally introduced to cultivation in 1901, the 

 collerette varieties received but little attention from culti- 

 vators in this country until the season of 1910, notwith- 

 standing their usefulness in the garden. They originated 

 from two sports that made their appearance simultaneously 

 in 1899 on different plants growing in the municipal gar- 

 dens of the Pare de la Tete d'Or at Lyons. In due course 

 these sports were fixed and propagated, and in 1901 they 

 were distributed by Messrs. Rivoire & Son of Lyons under 

 the names of President Viger and Joseph Goujou. 



With reference to the decorative varieties it must suffice 



