DAHLIA. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



DAHLIA. 



513 



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 w 7 as 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, 

 throwing their charming flowers well 

 above the leaves. 



Pompon Dahlias. Admiration, Arthur 

 West, Countess von Sternberg, Coquette, 

 Crimson Beauty, Cupid, Darkness, Dove, 

 E. F. Jungker, Eurydice, Eva, Fairy 

 Tales, Gem, German Favourite, Glow- 

 worm, Golden Gem, Hedwig Pollwig, 

 Juno, Lilian, Little Bobby, Little Ethel, 

 Marion, Midget, Pure Love, Tommy 

 Keith, Vivid, White Aster. 



SINGLE DAHLIAS. D. coccinea (D. 

 Mercki), D. variabilis, and others formed 

 the foundation, so to say, of this group. 

 The value of Single Dahlias as beautiful 

 garden flowers was not considered until 

 a reaction set in against the show blooms, 

 and then the elegant single kinds became 

 popular. It is so easy to cross them and 

 raise seedlings that the earlier varieties 

 were quickly improved upon in colour 

 and habit of growth, until we have now 

 a delightful group of garden plants, free, 

 and making a continuous display through 

 the late summer and early autumn 

 months. In the best kinds the flowers 

 are carried erect above the foliage, the 

 growth bushy, and the flowers abundant. 

 No summer flower gives a greater variety 

 of brilliant colours, rich selfs and delicate 

 hues of mauve and rose to pure white. 

 With all this choice, one, unfortunately, 

 sees much of the striped kinds, too often 

 praised, for the reason perhaps that they 

 are well shown at some exhibition, but a 

 new Dahlia should be seen in the garden 

 to judge of its merits. The striped kinds 

 are also sportive, like striped Carnations, 

 and depend in a large measure for their 

 peculiar colour upon the weather. This 

 class must not be confounded with those 

 that have flowers boldly margined with 

 colour. As the round-flowered form of 

 Single Dahlia is declining in popularity 

 one sees less of the big saucer-shaped 

 blooms, so large that it was necessary to 

 support them when gathered. These 

 flabby varieties won few friends, and the 



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