236 
THE GARDEN 9M ACG A Zain 
May, 1916 
The Anemone-flowered type is a re- 
cent development and is well adapted 
to decorative use 
Andreas Dahl, a Swedish 
botanist. Cavanilles grew 
his plants from seed sent to 
him by Vincentes Cervantes, 
Director of the Botanical 
Gardens of Mexico; from 
this seed he obtained not 
only single flowers, but also 
one plant which produced 
semi-double flowers. 
The Dahlia was intro- 
duced into England in 1789 
by Lady Bute, wife of the 
English ambassador to the 
Court: of Spain at Madrid. 
Through the kindness of 
Cavanilles she was given 
some of his seeds and sent 
them to England. Plants 
Dwarf varieties of the bedding type will surely satisfy 
the demand for a flowering plant 
were grown, but owing to incorrect 
methods of culture or caring for the 
tubers, they were lost within two or 
three years. The first successful intro- 
duction into England dates from 1802. 
In that year John Fraser, a noted En- 
glish collector of American plants, ob- 
tained seeds from Paris, from which 
seeds he grew and flowered plants suc- 
cessfully. 
Very little seems to be known con-~ 
cerning the early history of the Dahlia 
in the United States. It is apparently 
unknown when it was first introduced 
into cultivation, or from what country 
it was received, but it may perhaps 
reasonably be assumed that the earlier 
enthusiasts imported the then novelty 
from Europe as now, indeed. The first 
known work on the Dahlia in this coun- 
try was a “Treatise on the Culture of 
the Dahlia and the Cactus,” by HE. 
Sayers, published in Boston in 1839. 
Sayers mentions the fact that it is only 
within ten or twelve years that any fine 
a a roe Fy 
a Wen ee ant tee ? 2 pe es ie 
oP . . 4 af > 
For late summer bloom in the mixed border, the Dahlia is unique for rich tones of color 
specimens have been seen. He lists 
eighty varieties, about fifty of which are 
described as new. He also says that no 
person has done more for the introduc- 
tion and advancement of the culture of 
the Dahlia than George C. Thorburn of 
New York, “who yearly flowers many 
thousands of plants.” Others who had 
large collections in those early days 
were Mr. Hogg and William Read of 
New York, Messrs. Hovey of Cambridge- 
port, Mass., and Samuel Sweetser and 
William Leathe of Cambridge, Mass. 
Although Abbé Cavanilles obtained a 
plant with semi-double flowers in 1789, 
it is supposed that the first strictly 
double flower originated with M. Don- 
kelaar of Louvain, Belgium, in 1814. 
Starting in 1812 with seeds from single 
flowers and selecting seed each year 
from those showing an increase in pet- 
alage, he obtained a true double form in 
the third generation. 
This was the first important break in 
the type of the Dahlia, but what numer- 
ous breaks have occurred since that 
time, either as a result of crossing or 
hybridizing, or as “sports”! And what 
increased popularity these breaks have 
brought to the Dahlia, when introduced 
as the Fancy type, the Peony-flowered 
type, etc., and in more recent years the 
ae 6 « 
Among the singles are great di- 
versity of form and color. The “Single 
Cactus” is curiously attractive 
Anemone - flowered type. 
However, the Cactus type, 
introduced in 1872, has 
surely done more than any 
other one type to increase 
the favor of the Dahlia 
within recent years. With 
this form concerned in the 
parentage, many very at- 
tractive and pleasing vari- 
eties have been produced 
which have done much to 
restore to the Dahlia its 
former popularity, lost when 
public opinion decreed 
against the too highly de- 
veloped Show and Fancy 
types. To-day, the Dahlia is. 
becoming fashionable again. 
The high growing Cactus varieties will afford the best 
material for tall effects in gardens (Parsival) 
