16 The Amateur's Book of the Dahlia 



He then gives cultural directions and sugges- 

 tions for increasing stock by cuttings and ends, 

 by stating that the roots will probably be con- 

 sidered edible as a nourishing food. 



In England, Dr. John Sims published a 

 charming coloured drawing of D. pinnata in 

 "Curtis' Botanical Magazine or The Flower 

 Garden Displayed," drawn in 1803 in the 

 garden of "Mr. Eraser's at Sloane Square." 

 Evidently the flower, grown from seed brought 

 from France, had gone back to the single type, 

 though the colour is the same as that drawn by 

 Thouin. Doctor Sims states that it is a native of 

 South America, and should be treated as a 

 "hardy herbaceous perennial ! " 



Evidently, the English had already corrupted 

 the pronunciation of dahlia, for in 1804 an 

 article on the dahlia in "Andrews' Rare Plants" 

 (Vol. VI) one is cautioned against confusion 

 with the dalea, an edible root, named after an 

 Englishman called Dale. Fortunately, we in 

 America respect the "h" in the great botanist's 

 name and such confusion is not likely to result. 

 Andrews also makes the astounding statement 

 that the dahlia is a valuable hardy plant, a 

 native of Peru! 



But the most delightful of all these treatises 

 is one in the Paradisus londinensis, accompany- 



