90 FAMILIAR GARDEN FLOWERS. 



grand double dahlias have been out of fashion, owing to 

 a series of cold summers; but in the year 1881, when it 

 was thought the single dahlias were alone worthy of 

 attention, the grand old double flowers came forth in 

 such sj)lendour that at one of the exhibitions where 

 myriads of the single flowers were on view, very few 

 persons saw them because of the superior attractions of 

 the older and nobler varieties that had acquired historic 

 renown as the most resplendent of all the autumnal 

 flowers. 



It must be confessed that the ranunculus is at the 

 present time not a fashionable flower, for in truth it is 

 comparatively unknown in its proper character to the 

 race of modern florists. But its day may come again, 

 and when it is once more seen in a state of high develop- 

 ment as a familiar garden flower, people will ask how it 

 could happen that such a " gem of purest ray serene " 

 could lose its hold upon popular affection through a whole 

 series of years. And the question is worth asking now, 

 for there is no flower known to cultivators that so com- 

 pletely satisfies the requirements of the floral canons as the 

 ranunculus. The dahlia may rank next to it in respect of 

 technical merit, but the refinement of the ranunculus is 

 unique, and its range of variety almost boundless ; and 

 it needs no costly appliances for its most perfect culti- 

 vation. 



This flower was cultivated in the East for centuries 

 before it became known in Northern Europe. The Dutch 

 first became possessed of it; from them, in the time of 

 Queen Elizabeth, our florists obtained it ; and thus it 

 was known just in time to have a proper place in the 

 works of Turner and Gerarde and Parkinson. The 



