THE DAHLTAj OR GEORGINA. 287 



syinmetrical. The peduncles ought to be strong enough 

 to keep the blossoms erect, and long enough to show 

 the flowers above the leaves. Bright and deep velvety 

 colors are most admired. 



Dahlia competitions now excite great interest in the 

 floricultural world ; almost every considerable town hav- 

 ing its annual show, when gold and silver medals, cups 

 and other pieces of plate, are keenly contended for; 

 private amateurs and professional cultivators competing 

 respectively among themselves. Fine flowers have be- 

 come so numerous tha-fc it were a hopeless task to off^er 

 a list. Among the most highly prized in England at 

 the present day may only be mentioned Springfield 

 Rival, Dodd's Mary, Neville's Hope, Duchess of Rich- 

 mond, Essex Rival, Widnall's Conductor, Suffolk Hero, 

 Ruby, Sussex Rival, Marquis of Lothian, Fireball, 

 Cox's Yellow, Ansell's Unique, Grace Darling, Climax, 

 Hylas. 



New varieties are, of course, procured from seed ; the 

 utmost attention being paid to the parentage and" the 

 crossing of flowers of diff'erent colors. If sown in flow- 

 er-pots, and aided by a little heat, the seedlings, speed- 

 ily planted out, will flower the first season. Establish- 

 ed varieties are propagated by dividing the large tuber- 

 ous roots ; but, in doing so, care must be taken to have 

 an eye to each portion of tuber, otherwise it will not 

 grow. Sometimes shoots of rare varieties are grafted 

 on the roots of others. A good method, now generally 

 practiced, is to take cuttings close from the roots of the 

 plants, as soon as they shoot up in the beginning of sum- 

 mer, and to strike them in sm^ll flower-pots. They 

 strike freely, and the plants generally show flower dur- 

 ing the same season. 



