THE DAHLIA. 



13 



CHAPTER II 



CLASSIFICATION. 



IT IS doubtful if two persons would classify Dahlias exactly alike. Too many classes are 

 confusing. It is better to have fewer classes even if those classes are sub-divided into 

 sections or groups. As' there is safety in numbers, the v.riter will give the classification as 

 adopted by the American Dahlia Society. 



I. Cactus Dahlias. 



A. True, Fluted Type: Flowers fully double; floral rays ("petals") long, narrow, incurved 

 or twisted, with sharp, divided or fluted points and with revolute ("rolled back") margins, 

 forming, in the outer florets, a more or less perfect tube for more than half the length of the ray. 



Typical examples: Snowdon, T. G. Baker, Mrs. Douglas Fleming, J. H. Jackson, H. H. 

 Thomas and Rev. T. W. Jamieson. 



B. Hybrid Cactus or Semi-Cactus Type: Flowers fully double; floral rays ("petals") 

 short as compared with previous type, broad, flat, recurved or twisted, not sharply pointed except 

 when tips are divided ("staghorn"), margins only slightly revolute ("rolled back"), and tubes 

 of outer florets, if any, less than half the length of the ray. 



Typical examples: Master Carl, Perle de Lyon, Flora, Mrs. J. P. Mace, Kalif and Rheine- 

 konig. 



2. D£corative Dahlias. 



Double flowers, full to center in early season, flat rather than ball-shaped, with broad, flat, 

 somewhat loosely arranged floral rays ("petals") with broad points or rounded tips which are 

 straight or decurved (turned down or back), not incurved, and with margins revolute (rolled 

 back) if rolled at all. 



Includes forms like those of Souvenir de Gustave Douzon, Jeanne Charmet, LeGrand 

 Manitou, Delice, Lyndhurst and Bertha Von Suttner ; but does not include Le Colosse, Mrs. 

 Roosevelt, Dreer's White, Grand Duke Alexis or similar forms, which fall into section B of the 

 ball-shaped double Dahlias. 



