By Mr. William Smith. 



147 



has been suggested to me that their colour may have been 

 induced by cross impregnation with the high coloured varieties 

 of the Dahlia frustranea. Some of the finest yellows are not 

 always divested of a mixture in the colour, and the Dutch 

 White, is the only white variety I have seen which is not tinged 

 in a slight degree. 



In the classification, the tall and dwarf kinds are separated, 

 and form two subdivisions of the first class. This class com- 

 prises the varieties commonly known as Double Dahlias. 

 These become double by a multiplication, or rather by a 

 transposition of the florets of the ray, supplying the place of 

 those of the disc, which in full double flowers is wanting, or 

 entirely filled up. Another description of flowers has lately 

 come under my notice, of which from their singularity I pro- 

 pose to form a second class. In this class the flowers assume 

 a double appearance by a change in the florets of the disc, 

 which become elongated and coloured, and are either tubular, 

 or broken and ligulate, whilst in the circumference of the 

 flower there is one row of radial florets, as in single flowers. 

 Of this second class the descriptions for the present are de- 

 ferred, because another year's observation will improve the 

 descriptions of those already known, and will also furnish a 

 greater extension of varieties in the class than my present 

 knowledge affords. Each subdivision of the first class is 

 divided into sections, according to the colours, and arranged 

 in a natural series ; taking purple as the centre and original 

 colour, and white and yellow as the two extremes, receding 

 on the one side through lilac towards white, and on the other 

 through crimson and scarlet towards orange and yellow. 

 As there has not been any direct approach towards white 



