200 The Amateurs Booh of the Dahlia 



white dahlia growing to-day which can in any 

 way compare with Gladys Sherwood, a pure- 

 white hybrid cactus of great size and substance. 

 The slightly incurved petals give it an eflFect of 

 delicacy and refinement in spite of its size, and 

 the fact that it is large and holds its bloom a 

 long time on the plant makes amends for the fact 

 that there are not many at a time — ^there simply 

 isn't room! 



Another wonderful white, a decorative, free 

 and prolific and of fairly large size, is Mrs. 

 Henrietta W. Struck, sometimes called Purity. 

 It gleams like icicles on the plant and under no 

 circumstances turns either green or pink. 



Some of the reds, which the English term 

 "Hunter's pink," are nearly hopeless in our hot 

 sun. Men have struggled with this colour in all 

 flowers for generations, but "burn" it will, 

 nevertheless. The old favourite, Katherine Duer, 

 might be said to be the best, but it is such a late 

 bloomer that I fancy it is only that which saves 

 it. So late a bloomer it is that in many localities 

 it never has an opportunity, for Jack Frost rings 

 down the curtain before she has any chance to 

 follow cue and make her bow. For this reason 

 the variety is seldom listed. 



Creation might be said to stand the sun 

 pretty well. The colour is fine, though the form 



