DAHLIA 



A. Plants not very dwarf. 



E. Fls. single. 



C. Bays flat, not recurred at the margins. 



1. The Single Type. Fig. CGO. 



CC. Bays with recurved margins. 



2. The Single Cactus Type. Fig. 6G1. 



BB. Fls. double. 



c. Size of fls. small, IS in. across. 



D. Bays cupped. 



3. The Pompon Type. Fig. 662. Also called "Bouquet" 



and "Lilliputian." 



DD. Bays flat. 



4. The Pompon Cactus Type. 



CC. Size of fls. large, 3-5 in. across, averaging 4 in. 



D. Bays cupped. 



E. Colors single, or the edges darker than the ground 



color. 



5. The Show Type. Fig. 663. 



The Fancy Type. 



7. The Cactus Type. Figs. 665, 666. 



DDD. Bays various in form. 



8. The Cactus Hybrid Types. Also called "Decora- 



tive" Dahlias. 



aa. Plants very dwarf. 



9. The Tom Thumb Types. 



Societies and Shotvs. — The Dahlia is one of about a 

 dozen genera of plauts -whose horticultural value has 

 been attested by permanently successful special socie- 

 ties. There are national Dahlia societies in England and 

 America. Dahlia shows are usually held the second or 

 third week of September. With the growing mteiest in 

 nature-study, attempts are being made to make a pel 

 raanent institution of local fall flower shows which 

 shall come at a sufBcient interval before the Chr-\san 

 thenium shows, and in which the children mav exhibit 

 their own products. The Dahlia and China Aster are 

 especially suited for such shows. 



Harden Evolution of Dahlias.— In the evolution 

 of Dahlias in general, some of tlie great changes are 

 as follows: (1) The growing season his been greatly 

 shortened and the flowering season lengthened In 

 these and in all other particulars Dahlias weie %\onder 

 fully variable even in the first decade of their European 

 culture, but in general they bloomed for onh a few days 

 before frost. Nowadays, the Dahlia season is m full 

 force a month and a half or two months before frost 

 with a good show of blooms in favored localities for In- 

 dependence Day; and -Tune 15th is a record of extreme 

 earliness f.ir 'Wiii. A-n. w, after six weeks' growth from 

 tubers plant. .1 ,,ut .ii .l".rs. (2) The colors of the flow- 

 ers have bet-n ^acatly improved, as even the most senti- 

 mental objectur to liie idea of "improvement" in flow- 

 ers would have to acknowledge if confronted with wild 

 and cultivated plants. The number of colors has been 

 greatly increased and the vividness of the colors inten- 

 sified. Most people can distinguish and enjoy from 12 

 to 30 colors, and these colors have occun-ed in each type 

 and been carefully saved, purified and strengthened. 

 Dull and intermediate shades tend to drop out. (3) Im- 

 mense numbers of variegated forms are produced. 

 Broadly speaking, variegation is perhaps later to appear 

 than pure colors, and is conserved by a formality-loving 

 class. It is said that the Fancy Dahlia originated later 

 than the Show Dahlia, and was for many years inferior 

 in size and outline. It is also said by botanical collectors 

 in Mexico that wild Dahlias are mostly self-colored, 

 rarely variegated. Among the bewildering variety of 

 variegated Dahlias the leading types of variegation are 



DAHLIA 447 



perhaps only 5: (a) the "tipped" or "shaded" Dah- 

 lias, a very common form, in which the upper part 

 of the ray is evenly painted with another color, the 

 former term being used for the smaller, and the latter for 

 the greater amount of secondary color ; ( 6 ) the " edged " 

 Dahlias, in which the secondary color is confined to the 

 sides of the rays, dut-s not all'ect the tip, and is usually 

 abroad strip;!, i th.. "mar-hu-d" Dahlias, with a very 

 narrow strip of .-..iMr w hi.h ■ mi t lines the whole margin of 

 the rays, and oftiii j.-iv.s a vci y lielicateand dainty effect; 

 (d) the "striped and banded '" Dahlias, with broad bands 

 down the middle, and often merging into the " edged" 

 forms ; (e) the " mottled "Dahlias, which are variously 

 dotted and splashed. (4) Eetumingnow to the broad fea- 

 tures in the evolution of the Dahlia, a fourth is the pro- 

 duction of varieties with long flowering stems suitable 

 for cut-flowers. Many of the old sorts have thick, short 

 stems with superabundant foliage, which requires 

 K'css of doubling has been carried 

 i. _i. . . 'I'he " yellow center" has 

 ,! I. a-ming variety that the 

 : ; ).:,- most relentlessly sup- 

 , ■ I nuor stock. The tempta- 

 n"\ I li h - IS nJniost irresistible, and 



thinning. (5 

 to an extrao 

 been the on 

 florist has h: 

 pressed. It i 



rraptom 



occurs with rays of inagt-uta ..r allird shad.-s, as the 

 colors conflict. There is no question that it breaks the 

 absolute regularity and unity of a perfect show flower, 

 but it is a question, especially with white and yellow- 

 rayed forms, if the yellow disk does not often add a 

 pleasant variation. Asidn from matters of taste, it is 

 probal.lr that, nn ..tli.r tlnrists' tluwcr lias had more full, 

 precise and miiniti- rules laid down t'^r its perfect form 

 than the Show Dahlia. The i)n>ci-ss of doubling seems 

 to be associated with a cool climate. Dahlias soon de- 

 generate to a relatively single condition in our southern 

 states, and new stock of desired varieties has to be se- 

 cured from the north. (6) The habit has been vastlvim- 



663. The Pompon type (X K). 



