state: pomological society. 91 



same exquisite finish and. coloring of the Cactus DahHa and 

 both are strong growers and profuse bloomers. 



Show and Fancy Dahlias are a branch of the old ball-shaped 

 varieties, but are distinctly different in color arrangement. 

 Show Dahlias are large, double to the center, very regular as 

 though grown in a mould, and in some varieties the petals roll 

 hcxk to the stem, forming a perfect ball. They embrace the full 

 range of colors, except blue, being either solid, self-colored or 

 edged, or shaded darker than the ground color. This is the 

 oldest form of the Dahlia and is better known and more univer- 

 sally grown than any other class. 



Fancy Dahlias are very popular, owing to the beautiful com- 

 binations of color in the same flower. The term "Variegated" 

 is more often applied than "Fancy," as they are splashed, mot- 

 tled, penciled and margined in every conceivable manner and 

 form. The flowers are large, beautiful and regular, quite vari- 

 able as a rule, often showing but one color, showing fancy 

 flowers in some localities and solid colors in others, with no 

 apparent cause. 



Pompons are also of the ball-shaped variety, havmg small, 

 perfectly formed flowers, highly colored, many of them beauti- 

 fully variegated. The plants are usually of dwarf, compact 

 growth, and are always covered with a mass of flowers. They 

 are largely used for cutting as the flowers are always small, 

 have very long stems, and last a very long while after being cut. 

 They are especially good for planting on small grounds, where 

 a large collection is desired as they can be planted much closer 

 tlian any other variety. 



A perfect single Dahlia should have but eight petals and the 

 petals should be of the same length. They are verv beautiful 

 and graceful and when better known will be included in every 

 collection. In some the petals are long, narrow and irregular, 

 sometimes twisted at the tip ; in others they are broad and flat, 

 overlapping each other. In the Collarette Single, there is a 

 second row of small petals arranged like a collar around the 

 center. They embrace the full range of colors, some being self- 

 colored, edged and shaded darker than the ground color, others 

 being spotted, striped and variegated in every possible manner. 

 The flowers vary in size, the smallest measuring about two 

 inches in diameter to the largest measuring eight inches. 



