DOUBLE DAHLIA 167 



with all the most beautiful ami rare varieties. He ha* 

 kindly furnished a list and description of about one hun- 

 dred; including the choicest seedlings of 1833 anvj 1839, 

 which will be cultivated for the first time in America, in his 

 garden at Astoria, 1849 ; plants from which will be for sale at 

 No. 11 John street. To these I have added about two hun- 

 dred and fifty varieties, most of wh ch I have had under 

 cultivation in my own garden, and which iiny be justly 

 denominated pre-eminent. 



In making this selection, several superb varieties are 

 oinitted r not because they are undervalued, but for the sake 

 of brevity, winch in a work of this kind must be consulted. 

 Those marked thus f are native American varieties. Those 

 marked thus * obtained the greatest number of premiums 

 at the various Floricultural and Horticultural exhibitions in 

 Great Britain, as well as in our own country. There arc, 

 perhaps, a hundred more in this catalogue not far beneath 

 thsm, but none are marked except those which from having 

 been tested in this climate, can with confidence be recom- 

 mended as being free and perfect bloomers. The choicest 

 seedlings of 1833 and 9, and which have been purchased in 

 England at from fifteen shillings to five pounds sterling each, 

 are marked thus . It may be necessary to observe, that 

 many of our choice old varieties, as well as several of the 

 new ones hereinafter described, hare not been offered in com- 

 petition at public exhibitions ; these are, therefore, not to be 

 undervalued for want of the star or asterisk, and it is pre- 

 sumed that the brief description given of the different shades, 

 will be sufficient to govern amateurs in their choice. 



As much depends on the climate, soil and situation in which 

 Dahlias are cultivated ; and as the descriptions which follow 

 have been given by various persons, in different parts of 

 England as well as America, whose soils and situations are 

 different, the height of these plants may vary a foot or more 

 from our estimate, when planted in one uniform soil and 

 situation. 



