THE DAHLIA 341 



in a garden flower that can be produced from 

 the seed. 



It is well known, however, that even the best- 

 fixed races of dahlias are not expected to breed 

 true from the seed. Like other specialized 

 flowers they carry too many hereditary strains 

 in new combinations to be expected to breed true 

 to any single type. So while the dahlia is often 

 raised from the seed, it is always to be expected 

 that the seedlings will show a wide range of 

 variation. 



It is only in specimens grown from the tuber 

 that any certain prediction can be made as to the 

 precise characteristics of the prospective flowers. 



One of my beautiful yellow double dahlias, 

 The Golden West, has shown a curious re- 

 sponsiveness to the diverse conditions of soil 

 in the gardens at Santa Rosa and at the 

 Sebastopol Experiment Farm only seven miles 

 distant. 



At Santa Rosa the plant grows to a height of 

 about three feet, and resembles the common types 

 of dahlia as to its general manner of growth, 

 though an unusually profuse bloomer. 



But at Sebastopol the plant is a dwarf, not 

 exceeding two feet in height ; and as it retains its 

 habit of profuse blooming the dwarfed form 

 looks like a solid bouquet of cut dahlias. 



