FLOEISTS' FLOWERS. 



39 



viz., more seeds, and a shorter -winter to preserve 

 the roots in. One danger in storing Dahlia roots 

 has to he guarded against. It is the practice to cut 

 a-way the main stem to within six inches or a little 

 more of the root. This stem will he found to he 

 hollow, and it is apt to hecome fiUed with moisture, 

 which, if allowed to remain, is likely to cause rot to 

 set in. When wet appears the roots should he turned 

 upside down to allow the moisture to run out. The 

 roots must he covered up securely during frosty 

 weather. 



In the cases of the houquet and the single Dahlias, 

 these heing grown mainly for the flowers they 

 supply, the act of cutting constantly, operates in 

 much the same way as thinning and dishudding 

 does with the show varieties. But the plants should 

 he well eared for, mulching with manure ahout the 

 roots, and keeping them well watered, and tied 

 securely to stakes to prevent them from heing hlovm 

 ahout hy the wind. 



The Cactus Dahlias so called, of which the Mexican 

 D. Jtiarezii is the original type, are hecoming very 

 popular, and appear likely to take the place of the 

 single varieties for cutting and general decorative 

 purposes. It must not he supposed all are seedlings of 



D. Jtiarezii : indeed, it would appear that anything 

 of a semi-douhle character has been regarded as a 

 Cactus Dahlia ; hut of late there is heing introduced 

 a numher of varieties of attractive appearance, that 

 are remarkahly frS'e of hloom, and afford great quan- 

 tities of flowers. They need similar culture to the 

 single varieties. The hest sorts are Empress of India, 

 crimson ; Constance, white ; Flambeau, scarlet ; Lady 



E. DyTce, yellow ; Lady Marsham, hright salmon ; 

 and Mrs. SawMns, sulphur-yellow. There is no 

 necessity for dishudding the Cactus Dahlias ; cutting 

 the hlooms answers the same purpose. 



At present, perhaps, the greatest danger in the 

 cultivation of single Dahlias is that of getting them 

 too large, which seems to destroy the refinement of 

 the flower. The efforts of florists are therefore de- 

 voted to the perpetuation of a race of small or 

 moderate-sized compact flowers. These again differ 

 in their character in various ways. Some have 

 petals highly reflexed or curled hack, while others 

 are flat ; in some the petals fill up a disc, while in 

 others they are narrower, and give a more stellate 

 character to the hlooms. There are also seU- 

 colom-ed, "fancy," and striped flowers. Some of 

 the choicer and smaller flowers are much sought for 

 cutting purposes. Our illustrations represent two of 

 Mr. Ware's fine varieties, the striped variety heing 

 a small flower, with petals white, heautifuUy edged 

 with scarlet. 



Not a few lovers of the Dahlia prefer the pretty 

 bouquet or pompon varieties, with their compact. 



symmetrical double flowers, to the single types, 

 because they are more durable in a cut state, and 

 produced with greater freedom. The single flowers 

 are much used in the way of decorating epergnes, 

 vases, &c., for table and house work ; but they should 

 always be used sparingly, and especially such as are 

 of hright and striking colours. 



The bouquet and single varieties are in some in- 

 stances tall growers, hut their height can he reduced 

 by giving the stems a slight twist when the plants 

 are eighteen inches or so in height, which will cause 

 them to recline on the ground ; a peg should then 

 be placed to each plant to keep them in position, 

 and they vrill soon take on an upright grovrth, 

 bloom as freety, and be as effective as if they had 

 not been dwarfed in their proper stature. 



The bedding varieties, being of dwarf growth, 

 very profuse of hloom, and having the habit of 

 throwing their flowers on erect stems, are very useful 

 for fining beds, and for placing singly in borders. 

 It is necessary to keep the decayed flowers removed 

 to encourage the production of fresh ones, and to 

 make the plants look as attractive as possible. The 

 height of any taU-growing varieties of either section 

 can he shortened by gently bending down the stem 

 when the plant is young, and pegging it securely to 

 the ground, as recommended in the case of the single 

 varieties. This tends ,to bring the lower branches 

 to the earth, covering it, and forming a dense growth. 

 In planting a large bed the tallest should be put in 

 the centre and the dwarf est at the outer edge, pegging 

 down the plants whore necessary. 



Selections of Dahlias. 



Bendigo (Turner). 



Burgundy (Turner). 



Buttercup (Fellowes). 



Clara (Eawlings). 



Colonist (Keynes). 



Constanoy (Keynes). 



riag of Truce (Wheeler). 



Georgiana (Keynes). 



George Eawlings (Eaw- 

 lings). 



Goldfinder (Fellowes). 



Harry Keith (Keynes) . 



Henry Walton (Keynes). 



Herhert Turner (Turner). 



J. B. Service (Keynes). 



James Cocker (Keyues). 



James Stephen (Keynes), 



John Neville Eeynes 

 (Keynes). 



John Standish (Turner). 



Taneties. 



. Joseph Ashhy (Turner). 



Joseph Green (Keynes). 



Lady Gladys Herbert 

 (Keynes).' 



Miss Cannell (Eckford). 



Mr. G. Httrris (Bawlings). 



Mrs. Foster (Turner). 



Mrs. Gladstone (Hurst). 



Mrs, Glasscock (Eawlings). 



Mrs. Harris (Harris). 



Mrs. Iiangtry (Keynes). 



Mrs. Shirley Hibberd (Eaw- 

 lings). 



Prince Bismarck (Pellowes). 



Prince of Denmark (Pel- 

 lowes). 



E. T. Eawlings (Eawlings). 



Sunbeam (Fellowes). 



William Eawlings (Eaw- 

 lings). 



Pancy Yojrieties. 



Annie Pritohard (Keynes). 

 Charles Wyatt (Keynes). 

 Fanny Sturt (Pope). 

 Gaiety (Keynes). 

 George Barnes (Keynes). 

 Grand Sultan (Keynes). 

 Henry Eckford (Eawlings). 

 Henry Glasscock (Kejnesl. 

 Hugh Austin (Keynes). 



James O'Brien (Keynes), 

 John Forbes (Keynes). 

 Laura Haslam (JTellowes). 

 Mrs. H. Halls (Eawlings). 

 Mrs. Saunders (Turner). 

 Peacock (Turner). 

 Professor Fawoett (Keynes) , 

 Eev, J.B.M.Camm (Keynes). 

 W. G. Head (Turner). 



