DOUBLE DAHLIA. 71 



seurs, both in England and America, becomes acquainted 

 with all the most beautiful and rare varieties ; and he has 

 kindly furnished a list and description of about one hundred, 

 including the choicest seedhngs of the last two years, which 

 w:ll be cultivated foi the first time in Ameiica, in his garden 

 at Astoria, next year; plants fi om which will be for sale at 

 No. 15, John street. To these I have added about one hun- 

 dred and twenty varieties, most of which I have had under 

 cultivation in my own garden, and which may be justly 

 denominated pre-eminent. 



In making this selection, several superb varieties are 

 omitted, not because they are undervalued, but for the sake 

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

 Those marked thus t 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 countiy. There are, 

 perhaps, fifty more in this Catalogue not far beneath them, 

 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 last year 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, have not been offered in compe- 

 tition 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 Eng- 

 land, as well as America, whose soils and situations are dif- 

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

 our estimate, when planted in one uniform soil and situation 



