Febbuaby 21, 1907. 



The Weekly Florists' Review* 



lOil 



Dahlia Governor Guild. 



standard list, except that I VFOuld add 

 May but for its softness. I am grow- 

 ing nothing in the modern list because 

 I am unwilling to throw away what ex- 

 perience has taught me to be better. 

 The season is once a year and short, 

 and, as yet with us, it is the flower that 

 is novfll and not the variety. 



My standard is that every plant must 

 give a perfect salable flower and the 

 bloom must unfold quickly. On account 

 of the character of help I am sometimes 

 compelled to put up with, there must be 

 no great science in taking the bud. In 

 my list you may notice that I have only 

 varieties that give sure flowers from 

 any, or the best looking, bud that ap- 

 pears. Bobinson and Bassett are the 

 only exceptions, and I take the crown 

 on these, as they give better stems. 



In this trespass on your time I have 

 made no effort to instruct the beginner. 

 I am conscious of addressing an audi- 

 ence in which many of the growers could 

 instruct me. I have endeavored to give 

 only my experience on a subject com- 

 mon to the humblest florist, and so thor- 

 oughly threshed out by the brains of 

 the floral world, that only the conceited 

 novice would venture to give instruction. 



Future Possibilities. 



You may notice that my experience 

 has been only as relates to the commer- 

 cial flower. The exhibition chrysanthe- 

 mum is not yet needed. The local show 

 of the New Orleans society is the only 

 effort in the show direction in our sec- 

 tion. This will all come in good time, 

 however; the organization of the So- 

 ciety of Southern Florists is a move. 

 The south is of great possibilities. Our 

 success and advancement will be meas- 

 ured by the realization of our meagre 

 knowledge of the beautiful subject we 

 all 80 much love, and our willingness to 

 be instructed by that simple yet sublime 

 teacher — Nature. 



NEW DAHLIAS. 



Among the season's novelties is a 

 set of new decorative dahlias being sent 

 out by W. W. Kawson & Co., Boston. 

 These were raised by a Mr. Johnson, of 

 Brockton, Mass., and were awarded hon- 

 orable mention by the Massachusetts 

 Horticultural Society when first ex- 

 hibited. 



Governor Guild is described as the 

 largest pure white show dahlia in exist- 



ence. It is without even the least sug- 

 gestion of any shade either at the base 

 of the petal of center of the flower. 

 The flower is full and round, built loose- 

 ly, giving the flower a far more grace- 

 ful appearance than show dahlias 

 usually have. The spread of the flowers 

 is five inches. They are borne on erect, 

 long stems and appear far above the 

 foliage. The plants grow five feet high 

 and are profuse bloomers. 



Edward Le Favour is deep rose shad- 

 ing to a most pleasing distinct shade of 

 pink. The flowers are globe shaped, 

 measure four inches and over, and are 

 produced in great abundance on bushy 

 plants four feet high. A bouquet of 

 these dahlias produces a most showy 

 effect. 



Mrs. Gordon Abbott is a giant in size 

 and distinct in color. Several specimens 

 last fall measured five and a half inches. 

 The color is brightest golden, mottled, 

 speckled and striped intense scarlet. 



Mrs. Stuyvesant Fish is rich, deep 

 amber, the first decorative dahlia of 

 this color. The flower often is seven 

 inches in diameter, very double, petals 

 gracefully curved. The plants grow 

 four feet high and with fair treatment 

 produce flowers quite early in the sea- 

 son. 



W. W. Rawson is oddly formed and 

 delicately colored. Considering forma- 

 tion of flower, it appears to be a cross 

 between Grand Duke Alexis and Mrs. 

 Eoosevelt. It has thrown off the stiff 

 formation of the first, retained the more 

 flatly fluted petal of the latter, but im- 

 proved the appearance by being more 

 compact. The flower is well built up, 

 round and measures six to seven inches 

 in diameter. The color is white over- 

 laid with ametnyst blue, each petal be- 

 ing completely colored. 



Fireburst is of immense size. It is a 

 seedling of Le Colosse, has broader and 

 longer petals, is more flatly built but a 

 far more intense scarlet, slightly shaded 

 orange and produces blooms which some- 

 times measure eight inches. 



Dahlia Mrs. Stuyvesant Fish. 



