DAHLIA 



DAHLIA 



447 



A. Plants not very dwarf. 



B. Fls. single. 



c. Mays flat, not recurved at the margins. 



1. The Single Type. Pig. 660. 



CO. Hays with recurved margins. 



2. The Single Caotus Type. Pig. 661. 



EB. Fls. double. 



c. Size of fls. small, 1-^ in. across. 



D. Bays cupped. 



3. The Pompon Ttpb. Pig. 662. Also called >' Bouquet " 



and "Lilliputian." 



DD. Rays flat. 



4. The Pompon Cactus Type. 



CO. Size of fls. large, S-5 in. across, averaging 4 in. 



D. Says cupped. 



E. Colors single, or the edges darker than the ground 

 color. 



5. The Show Type. Pig. 663. 



EE. Colors Z or more, striped, or with edges lighter 



than the ground color. 

 0. The Panoy Type. 



DD. Says not cupped, but long and flat, or with re- 

 curved margins. 

 7. The Cactus Type. Pigs. 665, 666. 



DDD. Says various in form. 



S. The Cactus Hybkid Types. Also called "Decora- 

 tive" Dahlias. 



AA. Plants very dwarf. 



■9. The Tom Thumb Types. 



SooiETiES AND Shows.— The Dahlia is one of about a 

 dozen genera of plants whose horticultural value has 

 "been attested by permanently successful special socie- 

 ties. There are national Dahlia societies in England and 

 America. Dahlia shows are usually held the second or 

 third week of September. With the growing interest in 

 nature-study, attempts are being made to make a per- 

 manent institution of local fall flower shows, which 

 shall come at a sufficient interval before the Chrysan- 

 themum shows, and in which the children may exhibit 

 their own products. The Dahlia and China ;Aster are 

 especially suited for such shows. 



Garden Evolution of Dahlias.— In the evolution 

 of Dahlias in general, some of the great changes are 

 as follows: (1) The growing season has been greatly 

 shortened and the flowering season lengthened. In 

 these and in all other particulars Dahlias were wonder- 

 fully variable even in the flrst decade of their European 

 culture, but in general they bloomed for only a few days 

 before frost. Nowadays, the Dahlia season Is in full 

 force a month and a half or two months before frost 

 with a good show of blooms in favored localities for In- 

 dependence Day; and June 15th is a record of extreme 

 earliness for Wm. Agnew, after six weeks' growth from 

 tubers planted out of doors. (2) The colors of the flow- 

 ers have been greatly improved, as even the most senti- 

 mental objector to the idea of "improvement" in flow- 

 ers would have to acknowledge if confronted with wild 

 and cultivated plants. The number of colors has been 

 greatly increased and the vividness of the colors inten- 

 sified. Most people can distinguish and enjoy from 12 

 to 30 colors, and these colors have occurred in each type 

 and been carefully saved, purified and strengthened. 

 Dull and intermediate shades tend to drop out. (3) Im- 

 mense numbers of variegated forms are produced. 

 Broadly speaking, variegation is perhaps later to appear 

 than pure colors, and is conserved by a formality-loving 

 class. It is said that the Pancy Dahlia originated later 

 than the Show Dahlia, and was for many years inferior 

 in size and outline. It is also said by botanical collectors 

 in Mexico that wild Dahlias are mostly self-colored, 

 rarely variegated. Among the bewildering variety of 

 variegated Dahlias the leading types of variegation are 



perhaps only 5: (a) the "tipped" or "shaded" Dah- 

 lias, a very common form, in which the upper part 

 of the ray is evenly painted with another color, the 

 former term being used for the smaller, and the latter for 

 the greater amount of secondary color; (6) the "edged" 

 Dahlias, in which the secondary color is confined to the 

 sides of the rays, does not affect the tip, and is usually 

 a broad strip; (c) the "margined" Dahlias, with a very 

 narrow strip of color which outlines the whole margin of 

 the rays, and often gives a very delicate and dainty effect ; 

 (d) the " striped and banded " Dahlias, with broad bands 

 down the middle, and often merging into the " edged " 

 forms; (e) the "mottled" Dahlias, which are variously 

 dotted and splashed. (4) Returning now to the broad fea- 

 tures in the evolution of the Dahlia, a fourth is the pro- 

 duction of varieties with long flowering stems suitable 

 for cut-flowers. Many of the old sorts have thick, short 

 stems with superabundant foliage, which requires 

 thinning. (5) The process of doubling has been carried 

 to an extraordinary degree. The " yellow center" has 

 been the one thing about a forming variety that the 

 florist has hated most and has most relentlessly sup- 

 pressed. It is often a sign of poor stock. The tempta- 

 tion to over-propagate novelties is almost irresistible, and 

 the appearance of a disk is usually taken as a symptom 

 of over-propagation or deficient culture. A yellow center 

 is considered objectionable by most people when it 

 occurs with rays of magenta or allied shades, as the 

 colors conflict. There is no question that it breaks the 

 absolute regularity and unity of a perfect show flower, 

 but it is a question, especially with white and yellow- 

 rayed forms, if the yellow disk does not often add a 

 pleasant variation. Aside from matters of taste, it is 

 probable that no other florists' flower has had more full, 

 precise and minute rules laid down for its perfect form 

 than the Show Dahlia. The process of doubling seems 

 to be associated with a cool climate. Dahlias soon de- 

 generate to a relatively single condition in our southern 

 states, and new stock of desired varieties has to be se- 

 cured from the north. (6) The habit has been vastly im- 



662. The Pompon type (X K). 



This is really a Fancy variety, but the only distinction is one of 

 size, and compared with Fig. 663 this is a Pompon. 



