286 FLOWER GARDEN. 



which it was introduced in 1789, but afterwards lost by 

 our cultivators. It was re-introduced in 1804 ; but it 

 was not till ten years later that it was generally known 

 in our gardens. The first plants were single, of a pale 

 purple color, and though interesting, as affording a new 

 form of floral ornament, they by no means held forth a 

 promise of the infinite diversity of tint and figure ex- 

 hibited by their double-flowered successors. At present 

 the varieties are endless^ each district of the country 

 possessing suites of its own, and cultivators occasionally 

 raising at one sowing a dozen of kinds which they think 

 worthy of preservation. The results have been most 

 propitious to the flower garden, from which, indeed, the 

 Dahlia could now nearly as ill be spared, as the potato 

 from the kitchen garden. 



The varieties of Dahlia may be classed under the fol- 

 lowing heads : 1. The Qommoii or Oamellia form, under 

 which the double sorts first appeared. This is by far 

 the most numerous class, and perhaps the most beauti- 

 ful. The dwarf sorts are in most repute. 2. The 

 Anemone-flowered, having a radius of large petals, and 

 a central disk of smaller ones, somewhat like the double 

 anemone. 3. G-lobeflotvered, having small globular 

 flowers, which are extremely double. They possess 

 great intensity of color, and, rising for the most part 

 about the leaves, make generally as striking an appea^r- 

 ance as those of a more massive efflorescence. 



In a fine Dahlia the flower should be fully double, 

 always filling the centre ; the florets should be entire or 

 nearly so, regular in their disposition, each series over- 

 lapping the other backwards : they may be either plain 

 or quilled, but never distorted : if, instead of being re- 

 flexed, the florets are recurved, the flower will be more 



