fIDore about tbe Dahlia 
Our dahlias are all the children of a Mexican, a coarse fellow, 
whose gorgeous descendants would not recognize him socially. They 
share the admiration that the rose and the tulip stir; their development 
has produced varieties that seem to deny their kinship with D. variabilis ; 
but all are sprung from a common stock, and their magnificent colors, 
their splendid conformation are the result of the patient labors of flori- 
culturists, professional and amateur. 
That this naturalized, acclimated and highly educated Mexican 
should have a society devoted exclusively to his wants and celebration 
is appropriate. He is a good citizen of his adopted country. Sturdy 
in the stem, hardy, easy to cultivate, he is an upstanding, self-reliant 
personage, lending himself gallantly to decoration, and adaptable to 
any surroundings. If he seems a little stiff and formal, it is because 
he has not been properly treated. The possibilities are in him. To 
bring them out is the part of art. 
At the Show of the American Dahlia Society, held last month in 
New York, Mr. Vincent, the President, exhibited more than 25,000 
blooms. 
The Albert Manda, bearing the name of its grower, single, pink 
and eleven inches from petal tip to petal tip, was one of the sensations 
of the show. 
Nor is the effect of inspection discouraging to the amateur of 
limited opportunities, as is sometimes the case. Not everybody can 
show 25,000 blossoms, and Mr. Manda's achievements are not to be 
equaled by all, but the dahlia is no mere hothouse exotic. It will repay 
the cultural efforts of the least skilled, multiplying fruitfully. — From an 
Editorial in the New York Sun. 
Several garden clubs urge their members to grow specialties, with 
a view to mutual assistance. The plan is a very useful one and the 
results most satisfactory to both specialist and fellow-members. In the 
hope that many more clubs will adopt the suggestion the excellent rules, 
used by the Garden Club of Cleveland, are here given: 
Snstfructtcng for Vaxiztp GTeste 
It is expected that each member who selects a subject for test will 
read up that subject in the books and catalogues and become well 
informed on the subject; and will, so far as possible, undertake to grow 
every species of it or each named variety. It is not sufficient to grow 
all the varieties sold by any one dealer, but search should be made for 
the best from all dealers. In such subjects as Sweet Peas, Gladiolus or 
