THE ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE CACTUS DAHLIA. 471 



40.000 and over were planted out every year to select new varieties from ; 

 so that directly the idea occurred of encouraging a new and long-petalled 

 type it gave us a splendid opportunity of seeking out and saving those 

 showing a tendency to this character. And to this selection from an 

 enormous quantity of seedlings I attribute very much of the alteration in 

 the type which has been effected. But mention should also be made of 

 others who have contributed very largely to the improvement of Cactus 

 Dahlias ; specially would I name Mr. T. S. Ware, Messrs. Cannell, Messrs. 

 Cheal, Mr. Burrell, Mr. Stredwich, Mr. West, and Mr. Turner. 



Of the earlier varieties of Cactus and semi-Cactus, as they used to 

 be called, and decorative varieties, of which fig. 226 is a representative, 

 perhaps the best known in 1888 besides Juarczii were : — 



* Constance,' re-introduced by Pearson about 1H83 ; 



' Cochineal,' sent out by Ware in 1884 ; 



' Henry Patrick,' also sent out by Ware ; 



' Mrs. Hawkins,' another, I believe, of Ware's ; 



' Zulu,' also one of Ware's ; 



' William Pearce,' another of Ware's ; 



Picta formosissima, an old variety re-introduced by Cannell, and 

 ' Empress of India,' sent out by Keynes, Williams. 



In 1889 we sent out ' Amphion,' ' Asia,' * Honoria,' and ' Panthea,' 

 only the first of which, I think, was a seedling from the Jiuirezii 

 family. 



In 1890 we planted out the enormous number of 80,000 seedlings, the 

 result of which was seen in our introductions of 1892, as follows : — 

 ' Baron Schroder,' ' Kynerith,' ^Lancelot,' 'St. Catherine,' 'Viscountess 

 Folkestone,' ' Countess of Pembroke,' ' Claribel,' *I)r. Masters,' 'Guinivere,' 

 ' lone,' and ' Mrs. Arthur NewalL' 



But I think the great beginning of the modern form of the Cactus 

 Dahlia dates from the introductions of 1893, the most important of which 

 were : ' Bertha Mawley,' ' Countess of Gosford,' ' Countess of Radnor,' 

 and ' Delicata,' the first three by us and the last by Ware. These, it will 

 be noticed, are still usually classified as "Cactus," whereas all which 

 preceded them have been relegated to the so-called " decorative " type. 



At first growers of Cactus Dahlias were content if the flowers were 

 double, having long flat florets, which in many cases were decidedly 

 flimsy. In the years 1890 to 1892 the aim was for the floret to be more 

 irregular, and a curled or t"\visted floret was thought much of. A 

 description of ' Countess of Radnor ' in the Gardeners' Magazine of 

 September 10, 1892, is, I think, interesting as showing the idea of a 

 Cactus Dahlia at that date — not quite nine years ago : — 



" This new Dahlia represents, I think, the Cactus type in its fulness. 

 It is a beautiful flower, quite free from the bold coarseness that dis- 

 tinguishes the so-called decorative class. The petals, charmingly turneil 

 inwards, indicate that it is a true example of the Cactus class, of which 

 the old and familiar Juarezii is the great head." 



The year 1894 gave us still greater improvements in 'Gloriosa,' *Lady 

 Penzance,' 'Matchless,' ' Cannell's Gem,' and 'Blanche Keith.' 



The year 1895 brought us ' Earl of Pembroke,' ' Harmony,' ' Marquis,' 

 ' The Bishop,' and ' Major Haskins,' 



