176 P^'of' RusscWs Address before the 



Lastly comes, and already is Hist passing by, the epoch of 

 the Dahlia, King of flowers and autumn's glory. The surpass- 

 ing beauty and brilliancy of this flower has raised it in the esti- 

 mation of the floral taste, whether considered in its single una- 

 dorned simplicity, or when brought to the acme of perfection 

 by the ingenious labors of the floriculturist. Scarcely unrival- 

 led by the unique elegance of the camellia, it has become, like 

 that remarkably transmuted plant, as universal a favorite among 

 the curious and wealthy; and, still more, a companion of the 

 antique and venerable accompaniments of the ordinary garden 

 or country flower bed, of some humble admirer of nature's 

 sportive wonders, — such as may be found in every community, 

 and not by any means few in our own happy, smiling New 

 England. 



The history of the dahlia may perhaps be new to some of 

 my hearers, nor would they be unwilling to trace with me the 

 origin of this beaming beauty of our floral festival this day. 



The dahlia was originally from Mexico, and introduced in- 

 to Europe in 1789. From the botanical garden at Mexico it 

 was sent to that of Madrid, where it flowered for the first 

 lime, in 1791. Cavinelle, (an eminent ecclesiastic and bot- 

 anist,) dedicated the genus to Dahl, a Swede, and disciple of 

 Linna3us. In the same year, (1791,) he gave a description 

 of three varieties sent from IVIexico, which he considered as 

 three species^ viz. pinnala^ rosea^ and coccinea. 



In the third volume of Annales des JMiiseum, we find a me- 

 moir on the dahlia, by Thouin, accompanied by a colored 

 plate of three, rosea, purpurea, and coccinea. Rosea was 

 of the size of a china-aster. A few such little flowers of a 

 rose color, we occasionally meet with now. It was not until 

 1817, (twenty-six years,) that semi-double flowers could be 

 obtained; simultaneous, indeed, with the efforts of the Dutch, 

 and with their similar success. A curious physiological fact 

 was also noticed, that on thin and light soils, the plants pro- 

 duced seeds capable of rearing semi-double varieties, whereas 

 those on rich soils produced single and simple flowers. This 

 was accounted for tlius: the greater effort to produce a perfect 

 seed than an imperfect one; the latter continuing the aberra- 

 tion from the first true type. 



De Candolle, on philosophical principles relative to the law 

 of color, foretold the improbability of rearing a blue colored 

 flower, and, amid the myriad varieties, no such tint has been 

 found. Thus connected, in mysterious and sympathetic union, 



