FRENCH VARIETIES 67 



not until 1910 that the collerette Dahlias received in this 

 country the attention they so well merit. The interest that 

 was shown in them in the autumn of 1912 seemed to 

 promise a wonderful future for this type of Dahlia. Both 

 the French and German raisers have shown activity in 

 the improvement of these varieties, and proceeding on 

 divergent lines, they have achieved much success. The 

 French varieties have flowers of great substance with broad 

 florets rounded at the tips so regularly arranged as to form a 

 complete circle ; those which had their origin in Germany 

 bear flowers with rather thin, pointed florets. This slight 

 falling off in substance and form has ample compensation 

 in the distinct and beautiful shades of colour, and in the 

 brightness of the blooms. The majority of cultivators will 

 probably prefer the more formal French flowers because 

 of the greater substance and richer colours, and to ex- 

 hibitors their greater staying qualities will be an advantage. 

 The average size of the blooms of the collerette Dahlias 

 exceeds that of the singles, and it does not appear desirable 

 their size should further increase because of the risk of their 

 stems not possessing sufficient strength to bear them erect, 

 a point of much importance both in the garden and when 

 cut. The chief points to which raisers should give their 

 attention are the improvement in the florets around the disc 

 and in obtaining greater uniformity in development and a 

 wider range of colours. 



Most of the varieties of moderate height have a free, 

 branching habit and bloom very freely ; they also possess 

 in a marked degree the merit of bearing their flowers well 

 above the foliage. This attribute, combined with attractive 

 colouring, renders the type of much value for the garden. 



