ZINNIA 



compared with tlie dahlia. Amoiii: tranleii composites 

 ils only rivals in point of color raii^'c an- the clirysaii- 

 thomunl. didilia, China aster and cineraria. Aiiiom; "ar- 

 dcn annuals in i^eneral the Zinnia ranks with tlie^inost 

 useful kinds, and many persons would place it amoni; 

 the twelve most popular of annual tlowers. Zinnias 

 are formal tlowers, rather stiff in hal.it, with ixcep. 

 tional depth of flower, and in technical [.erfection a lit- 

 tle short of the dahlia; the rays are rather ri^id and 

 overlap one anotlii-i- with s.miewhat nionotouints ].re- 

 cision. ami the colors are metallic as compared with the 

 soft hues of the China aster. 



Hixtiirica! Sl-i-tch . — 'Tha Zinnia {Z. ehgaiix], with ils 

 great ran.ffe of color and perfection of form, is uow so 

 nuich a matter of course that the present generation is 

 surprised to learn that it is cue of the most recent of 

 "tlorists* tlowers." A dotihle Zinnia probahly was not 

 seen in America hefore the Civil War. In the early six- 

 ties, the Zinnia was a sensation nf the floral w'.irld; 

 in the seventies it ceased to ln' fashionable and as 

 early as 1SS2 it was spokeu of as an "ohhfashioued " 

 tlower. Its course was run in twentv years. 



The single form of the Zinnia is ni>w cultivated only 

 for its scientitic or aitiateur ititerest. Single Zinuias 

 are not offered by tradesmen and occtir only as degen- 

 erates from the double form. The tirst douhli- tcirtus 

 appeared in ISoS at the nursery c.( yi. (Tvazau, at 

 Bagueres. France. anu>ngst a nnmlno- of phints rai-c-d 

 from seed received from the West Indh-s. The dintl.le 

 forms were introduced to the public by \'ilmorin in Isoo. 

 Probably the earliest colored plate of double Zinnias is 

 that in Flore des Serres published toward the end of 

 ISllO. This shows that the tirst double forms were much 

 flatter and rougher (i.e.. less regular! tliau to-dav and 

 often exhibited some remnant of the disk. The ttxath.n 

 of bright, distinct colors proceeded rapidly, but the 

 purification of the white seems to have been a slow- 

 process. The depth of the tlower has increased from 

 an incli or so in the earliest double forms to an aver- 

 age of 2 inches for first-class specimens, with a maxi- 

 mum of i iuches in the robust type. The rays are 

 now arranged in 1.^ or more series, as against .■> or b in 

 the tirst double forms. The first double forms are sli.iwn 

 as 2^2-3 in. across, which is a giHid average tw to-dav. 



The accepted type of Zinnia dower is essentially that 

 of Fig. '2793. btit the florist's ideal represents a much 

 deeper tiower of abs-dtiTe fulness and regularity. Of 

 recent years several minor variations have appeared. 

 Tubular forms are known to the trade as '^ Z.ttiaetifhu-a 

 flore pleno." The curleil and crested forms, intro- 

 duced in the nineties, represent the reaction against 

 formal tlowers iit general. Much care has been bestowed 

 iu perfecting the habit of Zinnias, and there are fiv-o 

 well-marked degrees «;>f height, wbi<'h for ptirinjses of 

 explanation and general convenience may be considered 

 as three. — tall, medium and dwarf. 



I. Tall Zix>-ias are ordinarily 20 to .'10 iuches high. 

 This size and the next smaller size are the favorites for 

 general purposes. The tall kinds are available iit 12-16 

 colors. A robust race, which attains 28 to 40 inches 

 under perfect conditiems. is known to the trade as Z. 

 efe'i'inx robttsta ijnt ndiflonr phu isxi ma . It is also known 

 as the Giant or Mamnniih Strain. Tins strain was <h-- 

 veloped after many years by Hrrr *.'. Lrireuz and w-as 

 introduced in 1880. A maximtiin diametor of ti inches is 

 reconieil for flowers of this strain. In t.i.C. II. 20:401 

 is shown a flower measuring 4x-t in., with abotit 18 se- 

 ries of rays, the latter being so numerous and cfiwdcd 

 that the flower Is less regular than the conmion type. 

 A specimen Zinnia pdant 3 ft. high is attainrd in the 

 North *"uily by starting the seed early and gi\-ing p'cr- 

 fect culture. 



II. Mediusi-sized Zixnias range fr'">m ]2-2i"i iiudM-s ii^ 

 height. They are availal.le in about 8 colors. Here be- 

 long most of the forms known tr. trade catalogues as 

 piniiih/, iunia and coiiiprtcfa. 



III. Dwarf Zinnias range from 0-12 inches in height 

 and are of two snb-tvpes. the |iompons and the Tom 

 Thumbs. The ponijions. or " Liliputians." are talh-r 

 growing and snmller How-ered. gein^-rally about inches 

 high, with a profusion of flowers about 2 inches acu-oss. 

 The Tom Thumb tvpe represents the larsrest possible 

 flower on the smallest possible plant. Both types are 



ZINNIA 



2011 



araila 

 in The 



'Kins. 

 alM.ut 

 Tlimi I 

 raliiXf 

 preTty 

 lir.st i- 

 peare' 



I'le iu several rulers. ii,,t all -if \\]nch are yet fixei.l 



I'i'i Haoijraiia is second in importance to Z . eJe- 



The sinyle form was intruduced to cultivation 



iSdl and the double al.out 1871. It is dwarfer 



nost Zinnias, and hassundler tiowers, with a color 



resrricl.^d To shades of oran-e. It is distinct and 



hut less showy than the common Zinnias. The 



•ace of hybrids between Haaf2:eaua and eh-gans ap- 



-\ in I87ti under the name of Z. Darwhti. This 



2794. Single Zinnia I 



srroup is said to resemble Z. thi/'.nis in size and color of 

 tls.. and to recede from Z. eleijatis in habit, bfing more 

 branched and fonuinir :i- broader and thicker bush. 

 hlowrver. this race lia^ nt-vcr been adequately described 

 and ir is little known in America to-day. Several va- 

 rieties of the Darwin ^■ia-s are tntrured in The Florist 

 and Ponmlo^'isr I87r>. \>\>. -S. 29. Some recent hybrids 

 of Haa^'eaua aiul ele^^ans n^t }"et introduced are said to 

 be full of promise. 



Culinrr of 2'//MN'a.s\ — Zinnias are of the easif^-t cul- 

 ture, rhrivini: in any deep, rich soil, "whether loamy <.>v 

 sandy. Tlo- seeds may be sown about I\lay 1, or wlien- 

 ever the soil is in fit condition for hardy annuals. 

 Su(di treatment will give tlowers from the tirst of July 

 until frost. The yonug plants should be thinned so as 

 to stand a foot or two apart, depending on whether they 

 are of medium ov tall-growing habit. By niidsiimmer 

 the foliage should obscure the ground. For the very 

 l)est results the seed may be started indoors about 

 Ajiril 1. and the seedlintrs transplanted once or twice 

 before being placed outdo(U's in permanent quarters. 

 Such ]>ains are. however, not worth while for most peo- 

 ph.-". In ISO! it was considered the reirular thing to start 

 the single Zinnias indo^.u-s. but this bother is no longer 



