CHAPTER VI 

 POMPON OR BOUQUET VARIETIES 



THE distinct and highly attractive pompon or bouquet 

 varieties form a group of much value in the production of 

 colour effects in the garden and for yielding abundant 

 supplies of flowers for home decorations. Notwithstanding 

 their usefulness they have not at any time evoked much 

 enthusiasm among Dahlia exhibitors. They have been 

 highly appreciated by those who do not base their estimates 

 of the merits of flowers upon their size alone, but they have 

 not given rise to the excitement characteristic of the periods 

 in which the show and cactus varieties were undergoing 

 the earlier stages of their development. 



The record of the origin of these varieties is not suffi- 

 ciently clear to admit of a definite opinion being formed as 

 to the raiser with whom they originated or the year in 

 which they were introduced to this country. That Germany 

 was the country of their origin there can be *io doubt ; and 

 it may be safely assumed that they were raised at Koestritz, 

 which for a long period subsequent to 1824 was an im- 

 portant centre of Dahlia culture. The earlier varieties 

 were probably introduced to British gardens towards the 

 end of the first half of the nineteenth century ; but they 

 do not appear to have met with much favour from the 



general body of cultivators until they had been in cultiva- 



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