18 The Amateur's Book of the Dahlia 



colour and habit to a large degree. Space has 

 therefore been provided for the reader's personal 

 opinion regarding varieties which he has grown. 



I hope that the chart will help the enthusiastic 

 but distracted amateur to choose his varieties 

 after the deluge of catalogues descends. Glow- 

 ing descriptions and beautiful illustrations make 

 the choice most difficult. Often a dahlia, in- 

 tended to brighten the border, will be found use- 

 less for anything but the exhibition table; and 

 those on whom high hopes for the show had been 

 pinned prove to be no more than the "common 

 or garden variety." 



Among those classed as exhibition blooms are 

 many which are shy bloomers, and are therefore 

 left out of the garden class. Those listed as cut 

 flowers are dahlias which may be handled with- 

 out too much risk of wilting, and which are 

 particularly useful for house decorations. Many, 

 like George Walters, King of the Autumn, 

 Gertrude Dahl, etc., although producing the 

 finest exhibition blooms, are so free-flowering 

 they may rank among the best of the garden 

 types. Some, again, make excellent cut flowers 

 for house decorations or for shipping as well as 

 garden and exhibition blooms. These are listed 

 under all three heads. 



Under the column marked "Habit" I have 



