174 The Amateur's Book of the Dahlia 



they are lavender, not pink, and had to be dis- 

 qualified! 



When staging a dahlia exhibit be sure that 

 all the flowers of one variety are of equal size and 

 merit. If a class calls for three blooms of one 

 variety, do not put in two huge blooms of perfect 

 form and one of mediocre quality. It is better 

 to put in three medium-sized flowers, all of equal 

 value. Another important thing to remember 

 is that a bud showing colour is a flower. An 

 exhibit of three blooms, one of which has a bud 

 attached, showing colour, is really a vase of four 

 blooms. Such an exhibit is disqualified if placed 

 in a class calling for three blooms. Dahlias, prop- 

 erly grown, should have been disbudded, so there 

 is no excuse for the presence of the bud, anyway. 



When exhibiting in a class of more than one 

 variety of dahlias in one vase, have pity on the 

 judges and the visitors. Do not put pinks and 

 bright yellows, purples and reds together. Such 

 an exhibit can be judged only by points, and 

 under stress of circumstance might even win an 

 award; but the comments of both judges and visi- 

 tors may not bear repetition. 



You will find that in spite of the hard-and-fast 

 rules of judging by points, an exhibit well staged 

 will hold the attention of the judges and has a 

 much better chance for an award than one which 



