DACRYDIUM. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



529 



peculiar graft-hybrid once known as Cytisus 

 Adaii, are now classed by themselves in a 

 separate group. B. 



Daboecia. See ERICA. 



DACRYDIUM (Huon Pine). A tree of 

 the Pine order of exquisite grace, but not 

 hardy in Britain except in the Cornish and 

 Devon gardens, and others of the south of 

 England and Ireland, where it is occa- 

 sionally very beautiful. In other parts of 

 the country if people want them they 

 must be grown in the cool greenhouse or 

 winter garden, but in the face of the 

 number of beautiful hardy Pines we have 

 that is a doubtful practice except in botanic 

 gardens. There are two species, D. Frank- 

 lini (Huon Pine) and D. cupressinum 

 (New Zealand Cypress), a common New 

 Zealand tree attaining nearly 100 feet in 

 height, like the other kind. 



DACTYLIS (Cocksfoof). The varie- 

 gated forms of this native Grass are attrac- 

 tive to those concerned much with bedding 

 out, D. glomerata variegata being one of 

 the most useful of edging plants, and 

 easily increased by division in autumn or 

 spring, thriving in almost any soil, but if 

 the soil be too poor the plant is apt to 

 look rusty in dry autumns. There are 

 several other variegated forms graceful as 

 edgings to beds, as carpets or mixtures, 

 or as tufts in borders. 



DAHLIA. The Dahlia group is not a 

 large one, so far as wild plants go, and 

 every species is a native of Mexico. It 

 is valued chiefly for the many beautiful 

 varieties that have been raised from seed, 

 the garden varieties being separated in 

 various classes. When well placed in 

 the garden the Dahlia is superb, its pro- 

 fusion of bloom creating fine masses of 

 colour in the late summer and autumn 

 months, especially when the best forms 

 of the Cactus section are used. Distinct 

 beds of Dahlias present a fine effect, if 

 the colours are well chosen, and 

 many good effects are spoilt by 

 mixing up tall and dwarf bushy kinds 

 indiscriminately. A mass of one colour 

 looks well, especially if backed by dark- 

 leaved shrubs, whilst distinct beds are a 

 welcome feature in the flower garden, 

 being gay far into the autumn when the 

 weather is not frosty. 



CLASSES. The recognised classifica- 

 tion of Dahlias is convenient, but not 

 very distinct. A few years ago the two 

 leading classes were the Show and Fancy 

 Dahlias distinctions confusing to some, 

 as a White or Yellow Dahlia, edged or 

 tipped with a dark colour, was classed as 

 an edged, tipped, or laced Dahlia, and 



included among the show flowers ; but if 

 the disposition of colour was reversed, 

 and dark-coloured flowerets were tipped 

 with a light colour, the plant was classed 

 as a Fancy Dahlia. All the kinds with 

 Carnation-like stripe were Fancy Dahlias. 

 The catalogues abound with names of 

 varieties, and the grower can make his 

 own selection, especially as new forms 

 are often raised. Varieties that do not 

 conform to the stiff ideal of the hard-shell 

 florist sometimes please the artist or the 

 gardener best. 



SHOW AND FANCY DAHLIAS. These 

 are not so much grown in gardens as 

 formerly, but are' still seen at the ex- 

 hibition, Dahlias being shown in a far 

 freer way than was usual a generation 

 ago, and the Cactus and Single classes 

 have, to some extent, overshadowed the 

 formal Show and Fancy varieties. The 

 reason why these are less valuable than 

 many other kinds of Dahlia in the garden 

 is because of the weight of the flowers. 

 There is little graceful beauty about 

 them, the stems being bent with the 

 burden of a too heavy blossom, hence 

 the greater popularity of the many lovely 

 Cactus varieties. 



Show Dahlias. Agnes, Alexander Cra- 

 mond, Bendigo, Colonist, Crimson Globe, 

 Canary, Eclipse, Ethel Britton, George 

 Gordon, George Rawlings, Glowworm, 

 J. T. West, John Walker, Harry Keith, 

 John Wyatt, Mr. Harris, Mrs. W. E. 

 Gladstone, Mrs. S. Hibberd, Nellie Cra- 

 mond, Queen of the Belgians, Richard 

 Dean, R. T. Rawlings, Shirley Hib- 

 berd, J. T. Saltmarsh, W. H. Wil- 

 liams, W. Garratt, Wm. Keith, Wm. 

 Rawlings. 



Fancy Dahlias. Buffalo Bill, Charles 

 Wyatt, Comedian, Duchess of Albany, 

 Frank Pearce, Gaiety, General Gordon, 

 H. Eckford, H. Glasscock, Fanny Sturt, 

 Mrs. Ocock, Mrs. Saunders, Peacock, 

 Rebecca, Rev. J. B. M. Camm, Sunset, 

 T. W. Girdlestone. 



POMPON OR BOUQUET DAHLIAS are 

 not so popular as either the Cactus or 

 single forms. They seem to have gone 

 out of cultivation to some extent, though 

 they are useful for cutting. The tendency 

 of recent raisers has been to increase the 

 size of the flowers, but they should be 

 quite small, as the name Pompon sug- 

 gests, not like a Show or Fancy Dahlia. 

 Although many additions have been 

 made to this section, the pure- white 

 variety White Aster still retains its 

 popularity, and it is grown largely for 

 cutting, and also for its effect. The 

 Pompon Dahlias are very free-blooming, 

 M M 



