creased, and have now nearly expelled the single ones 

 from gardens of repute. The extension of sorts has, 

 however, been limited to the Dahlia supei-flua ; the 

 varieties of B. frustranea have but little multiplied, 

 and no double flowers of that species have yet been 

 produced. The brilliancy of the colours of the blos- 

 soms of the D. frustranea, however, is such, that it 

 might have been expected it would have induced 

 some practical horticulturist to apply his skill to their 

 improvement. 



A few of the double dahlias which were raised at 

 an early period still hold a place in the estimation of 

 gardeners, but in general those of a few years 5 stand- 

 ing have yielded their places to a younger progeny, 

 which in their turn may be deprived of their station 

 by fresh productions. (Hort. Soc. Trans, vii. 141.) 



After 1814, the dahlia was introduced to more ge- 

 neral notice, and cultivated in most collections ; but 

 it was reserved for the intelligent cultivators of the 

 last few years to circulate it more extensively, and 

 make the most rapid advances towards a state of per- 

 fection. Indeed, so lately as less than twenty years 

 since it was considered a perfectly novel sight to wit- 

 ness dahlias with double flowers in the garden of a 

 tradesman or cottager ; but, owing to the astonishing 

 rapidity with which new and good sorts have since 

 been obtained and circulated, it is now quite as rarely 

 that w 7 e see or meet with a cottager's garden which 



