18 The Amateur's Book of the Dahlia 



pears under the heading of Dahlias the "Requi- 

 sites for a Perfect Flower:" 



1st. The general form should be two thirds of a sphere 

 or globe. The rows of petals forming this globe should 

 describe unbroken circles, lying over each other with even- 

 ness and regularity and gradually diminishing imtil they 

 approach the top. The petals comprising each succeeding 

 row should be spirally arranged, and alternately, like the 

 scales of a fir cone, thereby concealing the joints and mak- 

 ing the circle more complete. 



2nd — ^The petals should be broad at the ends, perfectly 

 free from notch or indentation of any kind, firm in sub- 

 stance and smooth in texture. They should be bold and 

 free, and gently cup, but never curl or quill, nor show the 

 under sides; they should be of uniform size and evenly and 

 proportionately diminishing until they approach the sum- 

 mit, when they should gently turn the reverse way, point- 

 ing toward and forming a neat and close centre. 



3rd — ^The colour in itself should be dense and clear; if in 

 an edged flower, concentrated and well defined; and in 

 both cases penetrating through the petal with an ap- 

 pearance of substance and solidarity. 



4th — Size must be comparative. 



Imagine whipping God's creatures into such 

 monstrosities as this! Is it a wonder that soon 

 after that interest flagged because human nature 

 rebelled at calling such a flower beautiful? 



For twenty years dahlias waited — and then 

 came Juarezii. Hybridizing began again, but 



