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AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



September, 1906 



Modern Dahlias 



By Clarence M. Weed 



NE of the most interesting recent develop- 

 ments in horticultural art is the renewed in- 

 terest in the cultivation of the dahlia. A few 

 years ago this flower was seldom to be found 

 outside of old-fashioned gardens, where the 

 large, globular flowers of the so-called show 

 dahlias were chiefly in evidence. To most people these arti- 

 ficial-looking blossoms had very little interest and conse- 

 quently were seldom planted. During the last few years, 

 however, the general introduction of the pompon, the decora- 

 tive and especially the cactus dahlias has served to increase 

 very greatly the popularity of the flower as well as immensely 

 to extend its range of usefulness. 



Five well-marked types of dahlia flowers are now avail- 

 able to any grower. They are the show dahlias, in which the 

 flower is rounded and either of one color or of a pale color 

 marked on the edges of the petals with a darker hue; the 



daily desirable for border gardens, where they make a pleas- 

 ing appearance along fences and walls or the sides of build- 

 ings. As cut flowers they do not appeal to the imagination 

 of most cultivated observers, although many of them are 

 extremely beautiful in their coloring. 



In a way the distinction between the show dahlias and the 

 fancy dahlias is an arbitrary one. While all the striped varie- 

 ties are included under the latter name, other bi-colored varie- 

 ties may belong to either class. If the ground color of the 

 petals is pale and the marginal color darkef, it is a show 

 dahlia; if the ground color is darker and the margins lighter 

 it is a fancy dahlia. The marvelous range of coloring is 

 shown in the innumerable varieties of the modern fancy 

 dahlias, which are useful for practically the same purposes as 

 the show dahlias. 



For almost a century the pompon dahlias have been grown 

 especially on account of their value in furnishing cut flowers. 



Single Cactus Dahlia " Lord Goff " 



Cactus Dahlia " Knemhilde 



A Show Dahlia 



fancy dahlia, in which the form is like that of the show dahlia, 

 but in which there are two colors present, either in the form 

 of stripes on the petals or in the form of marginal colorings 

 in which the edges of the petals are lighter than the ground 

 color; the pompon dahlia, in which the flowers are much 

 smaller than those of the show dahlia, although they are of 

 the same general form; the cactus dahlia, in which the flowers 

 arc strikingly different, having more the appearance of some 

 of the modern varieties of chrysanthemums; the decorative 

 dahlia, which is sometimes spoken of as the cactus hybrid 

 type, in which for the most part the petals are flattened and 

 recurved; the single dahlia, which is apparently a modification 

 of the original wild type; and the single cactus dahlia, which 

 is one of the most attractive flowers of all. 



I he show dahlias are too well known to need special men- 

 tion in this connection. An enormous number of varieties in 

 an extraordinary range of colors have been introduced, while 

 the keeping qualities of the flowers have been greatly 

 improved through careful selection. These dahlias are espe- 



On this account they are often called bouquet dahlias, while 

 by the Germans, where these flowers have been very popular, 

 they have been commonly called Lilliputian dahlias. They 

 originated about 1808 with a German gardener who is said 

 to have first obtained the flower as a sport from the single- 

 flowered dahlia. They were largely cultivated in Germany, 

 and when introduced into England were known for many 

 years as German dahlias. A large number of varieties are 

 now offered, the flowers having a great range of colors and 

 the plants being very variable in habit. Blossoms are pro- 

 duced in great profusion and through a long period. This 

 type is very valuable for border gardens as well as for fur- 

 nishing an abundance of cut flowers, which are attractive for 

 indoor use. 



The type of dahlia that is likely to be most important in 

 leading to a widely extended use of the plant is the cactus- 

 flowered form. With the introduction of this wonderful 

 blossom an array of possibilities almost as great as has been 

 seen in the development of the chrysanthemum was at once 



