EXPERIMENTS WITH THE OLD 

 RESPONSIVE DAHLIA 



AN INFINITY OF VARIATION WHICH HAS 

 ONLY BEEN TAPPED 



IF you have seen a Navajo blanket you are 

 aware that the Indians of the Southwest are 

 lovers of vivid colors in particular of 

 glaring reds. 



It would appear that the insects of the same 

 region have acquired similar tastes; for they 

 have aided in the development of a good many 

 flowers that advertise their wares with the most 

 brilliant hues. The cactus furnishes a familiar 

 instance. 



Another example is supplied by the even more 

 familiar dahlia, which in its native Mexican form 

 had florets of bright red with a yellow center 

 supplying the basis for the modified color 

 schemes of the dahlias now under cultivation 

 everywhere. 



The original red dahlia so attracted the eyes 

 of the Spanish conquerors in Mexico that they 



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