General Notices. 67 



was most conspicuous during tint preceding. I apprehend that any solu- 

 tion of t!ii? uniHuil, and to im inexplicxble circtiTistinca, is impo-ssible ; 

 butiiiscieir thit tlie color of lh3 flower, or whitever gives ris3 to it, 

 mil 3 it 3iicc3ptil)le of so.n3 infiusnce from which flowers possessing ofher 

 colo.-j wer3 exs.npt. Es^ex Rivil is a very iincertiin bh)oiiier ; it is never 

 re illy full,anloft8n single or seni-donble. Hyl is isa tiowerof <:ood color, 

 and is firm and clsin in petal; I iiive often regretted lint it slionhi be no 

 betle,- thm it is, for, notwilhstaiiding its defects, it possesses style. JVle- 

 talla was a good diiilii, and is even now sometiiiies seen in good charac- 

 ter; but [ hive seldom known it to be so bad as darmg the present year: 

 the p3tal is, however, generally very crumpled. I have seen Conductor 

 occasion illy very beautiful, but this is very seldom: it is usually flat, 

 muca quilled towards the centre, and too uncertain a bloomer for a small 

 collection. I hive not grown the Bishop of Silisbury. The Inst dahlia 

 seasm was altogether the best in my recollection ; but no doubt, in con- 

 sequ3nce of the very dry weather that occurred during the blooming 

 time, in a smdy soil many would fail that mio-ht have done well enough 

 in th:; same soil in a wet season. This would be especially the case with 

 thin flowers, which would, under such circu'iistanc<'s, be thinner in petals 

 than usual, and soon show the disc; whilst very double flowers would, 

 from ths same cause, more rapidly expand, and lose their scniy centres. 

 Havinor now made free with the characters of "A Subscriber's" flowers, 

 I would venture to recommend to him a dozen of which I think he will 

 report favorably — some of them he no doubt possesses, viz : Turvill's Fs- 

 sex Triumph, Trenfield's Admiral Stopford, Smith's Sir R. Sale, Ed- 

 wards's Mrs. J. Richardson, Thompson's Vivid, Widnall's Queen. Jack- 

 son's Lady (/oopcr, Hudson's Princess Royal, Brasrg's Antagonist, Dodd's 

 Prin:e of Wales, Mitchell's Mrs. Kelly, Keynes' Standard of Perfecli(m. 

 Ess3x Triumph is the flower that was so successfidly exhibited at the 

 meetinsrs of the Floricultural Society of London. It is far from beirg 

 fanl'Jess, but is constant, and one of the most desirable dahlias grown : it 

 is v.?ry globular, and alwavs perfect in the centre; its defects are too 

 great a length of petal, and want of substance in the back ones, which 

 gemrallv become flimsy or die before the bloom is in perfection; another 

 fault is, thit notwithstandins' its fine dark color, there is a silvery wliite 

 hue over the face of the petal, that gives the flower a dull appearance. 

 Adn. Stopford this year was the only rival that could successfully com- 

 pete with Essex Triumph, and the best blooms I have seen were of the 

 form3r; but this will not, I imagine, generally be the case, for it is not 

 con;tint, and in less favorable seasons is not rood in the centre; the petal 

 is broad and bold, and the color, though variable, is very good and glossy. 

 Sir R. Sale is another flower approved by the Floricultural Society, and 

 was proved to he one of the best of the season. Mrs. J. Richardson, a 

 white and purple, was also submitted to the same test, and justified the 

 oninion "-iven of it; it is a very useful flower and one of the best of its 

 clas^. Vivid, thou'/h not by any means a first-rate flower, is an acquisi- 

 tion, and the best scarlet we vet possess. Widnall's Queen is too well 

 known to require comment; it is generally classed as a lilic, but is cer- 

 taiidv n3arer rose color than anv other dahlia at present in ciihivaticm. 

 Lady Cooper and Prince s Roval are very beautiful when w(dl grown, but 

 are generally too hard and scaly in the centre. Antagonist, though un- 



