74 BOOK OF OLD-FASHIONED FLOWERS 



arrest the attention and cheer the landscape. The variety 

 known as grandis is even more effective, often reaching 

 a height of nine feet or even more. 



The dark crimson Kniphofia Burchelli is valuable on 

 account of its long blooming period, as also is the orange 

 and scarlet K, Saundersii, but all the kinds are good, 

 though not all are distinct. Considering that it was 

 introduced from the Cape nearly two hundred years 

 ago, it is somewhat curious that the Kniphofia is still 

 comparatively a rare flower. 



Although it was mentioned by Hernandez in his 

 History of Mexico, as long ago as 1 65 1, the Dahlia 

 was not introduced into this country until 1 789, when 

 Lady Bute brought a plant from Madrid. It is scarcely 

 hardy in heavy soil or in the northern half of England, 

 and it will generally be necessar}^ to lift the roots in 

 late autumn, and, having ripened them in a shed, to 

 store them for the winter in a cool dry place, where 

 the temperature will not fall below freezing point. In 

 the spring, the separate tubers may be planted in deep 

 rich soil ; or the roots may in February be placed in a 

 hot bed, and as the young shoots which form are about 

 three and a half inches long, they may be separated 

 together with a small piece of the tuber, and potted in 

 small pots which should be placed in the hot-bed until 

 the young plants are ready to be planted out. The old 

 double kinds are much inferior to the single and cactus 

 varieties. Dahlias compass a very wide range of colour, 

 and there are so many good sorts that each grower may 

 well be left to select for himself. In choosing Cactus 

 Dahlias, it is wise to select kinds in which the flowers 

 stand out well beyond the foliage. 



The vigorous Sneezeweeds or Heleniums are among 

 the easiest of all plants to grow, and will exist on almost 

 any soil. Like other hardy plants, however, they pay 

 for deep cultivation and manure. They bear yellow 



