CHAPTER V 

 SINGLE DAHLIAS 



FOR some seventy years after the introduction of the Dahlia 

 into European gardens raisers in Great Britain as in other 

 countries devoted their attention exclusively to the pro- 

 duction of varieties with double flowers, and all seedlings 

 which failed to produce flowers of this type were destroyed. 

 In this long period the double flowers had, by the per- 

 severance of the florists and a close adherence to the 

 properties formulated by the leading authorities, been 

 brought to a high degree of perfection. They had reached 

 a stage of development when it was extremely difficult to 

 obtain such improvements as would attract the attention of 

 the general body of cultivators. Improvements continued 

 to be made, but they were such as to interest the exhibitors 

 rather than the cultivators who grew Dahlias simply for the 

 purpose of beautifying their gardens, and in the absence of 

 startling novelties Dahlias steadily declined in public favour. 

 Something quite new was required to bring about a revival 

 of interest. It is therefore a matter of importance to 

 recall the fact that when the popularity of the Dahlia had 

 well-nigh reached its lowest ebb, and those who were 

 specially interested in the flower were regarding its future 

 with much anxiety, there reappeared the original Dahlia of 

 1789. This simple Mexican flower with its small bright 



