THE DAHLIA 217 



importance of this species, which bears scarlet flowers, lies in the 

 fact that it was the parent of our great modern class of Cactus 

 Dahlias. Several years passed before the public took much notice 

 of it, and a great many more before the florists secured new 

 varieties of sufficient merit and distinctiveness as to command 

 the earnest attention of the flower-loving public ; consequently, 

 although a considerable time has elapsed since the first Cactus 

 Dahlia appeared, it is, as a class, quite modern. 



Opinions may differ as to whether the single or the Cactus 

 section did the more towards making the Dahlia the popular flower 

 which it is now. Certainly the single, in its improved forms, 

 became extremely popular in the last quarter of the nineteenth 

 century, and did a great deal to spread a love for Dahlias before 

 the Cactus class had developed. But there is no comparison 

 between the two now. The Cactus has far outstripped the single, 

 as it has every other class. It has a great advantage over the 

 single in the more lasting quality of its flowers. The single is 

 undeniably beautiful and graceful, but its value both for garden 

 decoration and cutting is marred by the comparatively short life 

 of the flowers. 



The Pompon, Bouquet, or Lilliputian class is one of great value, 

 and must not be overlooked, especially by those who are chiefly 

 concerned with the Dahlia as a flower-garden plant. It is dis- 

 tinguished by great freedom of blooming, considerable duration, 

 and strong flower-stems, which lift the beautiful little blossoms 

 well above the leaves, and so insure their being well displayed. 

 Herein it is unquestionably superior to the Cactus class. Many of 

 the most beautiful varieties in the latter section have short, thin, 

 weak flower-stems, which are incapable of lifting the blooms well 

 up above the leaves, and consequently they are not so effective on 

 their plants in the garden as they are on boards at the shows. 

 The Pompon is really a Show Dahlia in miniature that is to say, 

 it has the form and colour of the Show, but is much smaller 



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