SHOW DAHLIAS. 



25 



surely disproved last year in some of the exhibits in the Cen- 

 tennial class, where Show Dahlias were arranged for decorative 

 effect. For extensive decoration few flowers can be made to 

 present a more effective appearance if they be cut with long 

 leafy stalks and arranged in tall vases. 



Discussion. 



Mr. George Paul said he was pleased to hear Mr. Williams 

 refer to one thing in his paper, namely, the endeavour to obtain 

 a hardier race of Dahlias to withstand frost. There was no 

 doubt that the early frosts of late years had been very detrimental 

 to Dahlias, and had cut them off just when they were on the point 

 of showing their beauty. He would suggest that growers should 

 try to raise an earlier flowering Dahlia, in the same way as they 

 would seek to infuse increased hardiness into varieties. During 

 the last few years the best flowers had been lost through being 

 nipped by the frosts, and his experience pointed out that the old 

 Show Dahlias were more tender than the Single kinds. 



Dr. Hogg, F.L.S., said he had listened with great pleasure 

 to the various papers which had been read, and he was sure that, 

 if all present shared his feelings, they would not depart without 

 giving their best thanks to the readers. He said there was a 

 great deal of invaluable matter in Mr. Shirley Hibberd's paper, 

 and also in those of Mr. Girdlestone and Mr. Williams, and on 

 behalf of the Conference he had great pleasure in proposing a 

 hearty vote of thanks to those gentlemen. 



Mr. Cannell, in seconding the vote of thanks, said he was 

 highly pleased with the Conference and the papers read thereat, 

 inasmuch as he was one of the first to raise single and decorative 

 varieties of Dahlias from artificially fertilised seed. 



Mr. Shirley Hibberd thanked the meeting on behalf of 

 himself and the other lecturers for the compliments paid to 

 them, and said he was pleased that his remarks were not quite 

 agreed to. Besides, it would be folly to have a Conference if 

 there was not some discussion or dissension. They all remem- 

 bered the time when Dahlias were so tremendously tall, and 

 Mr. Girdlestone gave the raisers great credit for reducing their 

 height ; but in old times, when many planted roots, the plants 

 obtained were much taller than now. 



