214 BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS 



which they divided into two sections, respectively "Show" and 

 "Fancy." Self-coloured blooms, or those with the colour deepening 

 along the edge of the flower, were Shows, and flaked blooms 

 were Fancies. The latter term was a better one than the former, 

 for, as a matter of fact, both sections have a recognised exhibition 

 standing of nearly equal value ; and both therefore, in the practical 

 sense, are "show" flowers. The Dahlia stalwarts should have 

 called their one-coloured flowers Selfs, and their parti-coloured 

 flowers Fancies ; then the position would have been a little clearer. 

 But they did not, and it is too late to speak of a change now. 



When the Cactus and single Dahlias were improved into 

 great classes, the old school could, an it had cared to do so, have 

 scored very heavily over Dahlia detractors. "Lumpy! devoid of 

 grace I" it could have cried in triumph. "What flowers can you 

 find more full of elegance than these?" But it did nothing of 

 the kind. It displayed a most charming generosity. Or was it 

 (as some have put it) that it was itself more than a little cold 

 towards the new-comers, and disposed to regard them as inter- 

 lopers? Was it a little purblind, and did it fail in prophetic 

 vision to the extent of seeing no future for the fresh classes? (We 

 only speak of the single Dahlia as "fresh" in the florist's sense; 

 botanically it is an old flower.) If the latter was the case, the 

 Dahlia-lover of the Old Guard certainly missed an opportunity, 

 and displayed great want of foresight. The Dahlia became a new 

 flower from the time that cross-fertilisers took the Cactus and 

 single-flowered types in hand and made great sections of them. 

 It was no longer a specialist's flower and nothing else. It was 

 no longer a mere show flower. It became a great flower-garden 

 plant for the million. 



It is likely that but for the improvement in these two beau- 

 tiful sections the Dahlia would have declined in favour. Its old 

 supporters would have clung to it as long as they lived, but as 

 they died out gaps would have been left in the ranks, which new 



