'A- 



OCTOBER 15. 1908 The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



13 



Margruerite Bouchon. 



Yvonne Cayeux. , 

 Three of the Varieties of Dahlias Described by Georgfe S. Stoddard. 



Schwan. 



VARIETIES OF DAHLIAS. 



As the dahlia season is about ended, 

 it occurs to me that some of your corre- 

 spondents might write an interesting ar- 

 ticle giving the characteristics of some 

 of the new varieties of cactus and deco- 

 rative dahlias, which have been intro- 

 duced within the last three years. I 

 am only a beginner with these plants 

 and my dahlia crop for the last two 

 years has been a failure, owing to con- 

 ditions which I could not control. In 

 preparing such a paper, it is my idea 

 that for the cactus type the Countess of 

 Lonsdale should be taken as a standard, 

 as without a doubt it has all the desir- 

 able characteristics, excepting possibly 

 color, of the true cactus type. 



I have found that the descriptions in 

 the florists' catalogues generally omit 

 the undesirable characteristics, such as 

 soft wood, weak stem and shy bloom. 



Some time ago you published an arti- 

 cle on peonies, reviewing a large num- 

 ber of varieties, withf a short descrip- 

 tion of each variety, and to me a sim- 

 ilar article on dahlias would be of great 

 interest. Wm. W. Macfaelane. 



Notes on Varieties. 



Aurora. — A dahha of German origin, 

 producing flowers from five to seven 

 inches in diameter, having a cream col- 

 ored center, shading to amber, then to 

 pink with white tips. A fine flower for 

 decorations, showing up well under ar- 

 tificial light. 



Ivanhoe. — This is an English dahlia 

 of a fine straw color, with slight shad- 

 ings of amber. It is altogether a fine 

 dahlia and very free. 



Papa Charnut. — A French decorative 

 variety of large size, with flowers meas- 

 uring six to eight inches in diameter. 

 It is a most beautiful shade of crimson 

 maroon. The flowers are freely pro- 

 duced and every one perfect. 



Sambo. — A welcome addition to the 

 dark varieties of cactus dahlias. The 

 flowers are a rich, dark maroon, with 

 the center almost black. Of good size 

 and flne form. 



Wm. Marshall. — Another English 

 dahlia of recent introduction, and one 

 which attracts a good deal of attention. 

 It is a rich, ripe straw color, with a 

 lighter center. The flowers are of large 

 size and freely produced. One of the 

 best for decoration. 



Marguerite Bouchon. — This is a 

 French cactus dahlia, and one that is 



sure to be in large demand. The color 

 is a most beautiful shade of pink, with 

 white tips. It is a massive flower, al- 

 ways full to the center, and freely pro- 

 duced. This and the two following 

 varieties are shown in the illustrations. 



Yvonne Cayeux. — A pure white cactus 

 dahlia, of fine form and very free. The 

 florets are straight and the flowers are 

 borne on. long stems. Of French origin. 



Schwan. — Here is by "far the most 

 beautiful white cactus dahlia yet pro- 

 duced. It is as pure white as the snow. 



The Editor Is pleased 

 when a Reader 

 presents his Ideas 

 on any subject treated In 



t'J^ 



As experience Is the best 

 teacher, so do we 

 learn fastest by aa 

 ezchangre of experiences. 

 Many valuable points 

 are brought out 

 by discussion. 



Good penmanahlp, spelling and grram- 

 mar, though desirable, are not neces- 

 sary. Write as you would talk when 

 doing your best. 



WK SHALL. BK GLAD 

 TO HKAR FROM TOU. 



The incurved and twisted petals make 

 it a most graceful and characteristic 

 flower for all-around use. The habit of 

 growth is all that can be desired. The 

 flowers are thrown well up on long, stiff 

 stems. This dahlia is highly prized in 

 Germany, where it originated. 



Directeur Quennec. — A good French 

 dahlia, and very free. Color, pale yel- 

 low, with slight shadings of copper and 

 splashings of white. 



Reliable. — 'An English novelty. As 

 its name implies, it is a truly reliable 

 variety. I have yet to see one flower 



with an open center. From one plant, 

 during this exceptionally dry season, 

 twenty large, perfect flowers could have 

 been cut at one time. It is''a fine dahlia 

 in every way. Color, yeUow at the base; 

 the outer petals are salmon, with a sheen 

 of faint scarlet. 



Alight. — Another English dahlia of 

 good texture and fine form. The florets 

 are like needles, perfectly set together 

 in large numbers, making a very full 

 flower. A free tloomer. Color, rich 

 orange scarlet. 



Mme. Henri Cayeux. — Here is a 

 French dahlia, and without' doubt the 

 finest in cultivation. The flowers are 

 very large, with needle-like petals, well 

 set and full. Color, a most pleasing 

 shade of pink, with each petal tipped 

 white. It is a flower of great merit. 

 Geo. S. Stoddard. 



POT PLANTS.! 



I have some nice plants of Browallia 

 speciosa major, Torenia Fotornieri and 

 Matricaria capensis alba. The .seeds were 

 sown about the middle of Aug^t. When 

 may I expect them to bloonif What 

 temperature, and what is th© best size 

 pots to use? \ jT,. K. 



Browallia speciosa major anft ^renia 

 Fournieri should be given a winteV tem- 

 perature of 50 to 55 degrees at night. 

 If kept potted along, they will commence 

 flowering in April. As a rule, pots six 

 inches in diameter are sufliciently large 

 for good sized plants. Matricaria ca- 

 pensis alba is perhaps better known as 

 Chrysanthemum parthenoides alba. This 

 is a quite vigorous growing variety and 

 should have 7-inch to 8-inch pots, tt 

 will not give much flower before early 

 ^mmer, and is not equal to the marguer- 

 ites in commercial value. It will pay 

 you better to take cuttings of the latter 

 now and grow them on rather than 

 trouble with the matricarias. C. W. 



Hereinqton's book on mums sent by 

 the Review for 50 cents. 



Rhinebeck, N. Y.— The Growers' Cut 

 Flower Co. has been incorporated, with 

 a capital of $10,000. The directors are 

 Henry Weston, of Hempstead; Charles 

 F. Bertanzel, of Roslyn, and Henry 

 Lustgarten, of Manhasset. In last 

 week's Review it was stated the com- 

 pany had opened a wholesale store at 

 39 West Twenty-eighth street, New York 

 city. 



*\' 



