316 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ April 20, im. 
from Madrid to England, and plants were raised from these, 
which flowered in that and the following years. In Andrews’ 
“Botanist’s Repository,’’1804, one of these, D. pinnata, was 
figured from a plant “ that flowered in September and October 
in the open ground at Holland House, Kensington.” This has 
large florets of a purplish crimson colour, the centre being 
bright yellow. In the same year a figure of D. coccinea ap¬ 
peared in the “ Botanical Magazine,” which has small bright 
orange scarlet flowers, and was said to have been introduced 
from France in the previous year by Mr. Fraser of Sloane 
Square. Thesecond edition of the “ Hortus Kewensis ” in 1813 
gives three varieties of D. superflua—namely, purpurea, lila- 
cina, and nana, and only mentions another species, D. frus- 
tranea, as synonymous with the D. coccinea of the “ Botanical 
Magazine.” In this work an engraving of a single form of 
D. superflua appeared in 1817, together with a representation 
of one of the so-called double varieties, the first presumably 
that was figured. It has flat purplish florets, not cupped like 
we have them now, but full and of good form. In connection 
with these it is mentioned that it was the opinion of Decan- 
dolle that “ No blue variety of Dahlia superflua would ever be 
found, because blue and yellow being the two primitive colours 
of flowers, and always exclusive of each other, no blue flower 
ever changes to yellow, nor yellow to blue.” Both these draw¬ 
ings were made from specimens in the Comte de Vande’s gar¬ 
den, who had imported them from France, where it appears 
Dahlias had then been receiving much attention for some 
years. 
In England Dahlias steadily progressed in public favour, 
and in 1830 the varieties were numerous and the culture 
amongst florists general. During the following twenty years 
considerable advance was made ; a greater diversity of shades 
had been obtained, the flowers having also been much improved 
in form, the flat-floret forms gradually giving place to those 
with the margins of the florets neatly rolled inwards, the flower 
in symmetry and substance being raised to a high standard. 
In recent years there has been a slight falling-otf in public 
attention to the florist’s varieties, the single forms being again 
encouraged, together with the small-flowered or bouquet varie¬ 
ties and those suitable for bedding. It is, however, gratifying 
to observe that efforts are being made to restore the choicer 
exhibition forms to general favour. 
Amongst the most recent novelties exhibited or raised by 
the nurserymen who pay special attention to Dahlias, the 
following are particularly worthy of notice for the richness 
and distinctiveness of their tints, combined with symmetrical 
form. Taking the Show varieties first we have Cyprus, bright 
yellow, very full and neat bloom ; Ethel Britten, florets white 
tipped with purple, bloom large and excellent in form ; Em¬ 
press Eugenie, rich purple, neatly cupped florets, bloom large ; 
Charles Springham, rich scarlet, bloom of moderate size but 
good form ; Goldfinder, florets yellow, tipped at the back with 
crimson, flower deep and full; James Vick, intense purplish 
maroon, handsome symmetrical bloom ; Joseph Green, clear 
bright scarlet, beautifully formed bloom ; Revival, rich crimson, 
shading to scarlet at the tips of the florets ; William Rawlings, 
rich glowing crimson-purple bloom, very deep and symmetrical 
in form ; Joseph B. Service, bright yellow, of very good form 
and substance; Miss Batchelor, very bright scarlet, excellent 
form ; Pioneer, intense deep maroon colour, nearly black, one 
of the darkest varieties, of tine form. Of the Fancy varieties 
the following are noteworthy :—Queen Mercedes, florets white 
tinged with purple, blooms of good form ; Splendid, pale 
purple, streaked and spotted with maroon, flower large ; Flo¬ 
rence Brown, buff, streaked with crimson, bloom symmetrical: 
James O'Brien, yellow, with crimson and rose streaks ; Lady 
Antrobus, florets red, tipped with white ; and Professor Faw¬ 
cett, dark lilac, striped with chocolate. Three excellent bed¬ 
ding varieties recently sent out are George Thompson, yellow, 
very free ; King of the Bedders, deep crimson tinged with 
purple, very dwarf ; and Fire King, brilliant scarlet and very 
free, grand for borders. Notable bouquet varieties are Dora, 
white, tinged on the upper surface of the florets with yellow ; 
Frau Professor Klug, rosy pink, very neat; and Dr. Rauch, 
salmon red, very pretty blooms. Of the recent single varieties 
Avalanche and White Queen, both white, are very beautiful; 
King of Crimsons, rich crimson ; and Model, orange scarlet, 
are also good. Amongst the curiosities, Hender’s Double-floret 
Dahlia should be included, each of the principal florets enclos¬ 
ing several others; while the Cactus Dahlia, D. Juarezi, 
deserves notice for its large deep scarlet blooms, the florets 
being flat and spreading. 
Having briefly referred to the chief new varieties in each 
section, the following lists include some of the most distinct of 
the older forms : — 
Show Varieties. —Chris. Ridley, Canary, James Cocker, John 
Greenaway, Johnny Ludlow, Julia Wyatt, Ovid, Thomas Good¬ 
win, Toison d'Or, Vice-President, Mrs. Henshaw, Paradise 
Williams, Picotee, Rifleman, Mrs. Harris, John Downie, John 
Bennett, John Standish, William Lord, Lady Golightly, Leah, 
Lord Derby, Criterion, and Gladiator. 
Fancy Varieties. —Mrs. Saunders, Henry Glasscock, Monsieur 
Chauviere, Grand Sultan, Mrs. Purves, Peacock, Letty Coles, 
Laura Haslam, Flora Wyatt, Maid of Athens, Wizard, Fanny 
Sturt. 
Bedding Varieties. —Rising Sun, Marguerite Bruant, Mont 
Blanc, Little Wonder, The Pet, Cloth of Gold, Dark Model, 
Flora MacDonald, Faust, Royal Purple, Prince Frederick 
William, Aurora. 
Bouquet Varieties. —Fireball, Lady Blanche, Amelie Barbier, 
Little Arthur, Piince of Liliputians, Dove, White Aster, 
Crimson Beauty, Burning Coal, John Sandy, Louis Rodani, 
Triumph. 
Single Varieties. —Paragon, coccinea, lutea, alba, glabrata, 
and Cervantesi. 
These selections may be useful at this the precise period for 
procuring plants.— Composite. 
MUSHROOMS FOR THE MILLION. 
(Continued from page 275.) 
THE MOST REMUNERATIVE OUTDOOR CROP 
KNOWN. 
As there is no small number of individuals who are 
deeply impressed with the idea that anything can he 
proved by figures, and that crops recorded of unusual 
value are only grown “ on paper,” it is necessary to 
say that the following figures are not evolved from any 
fanciful theory or scheme by which the amount they 
represent might be obtained, but they express what has 
been accomplished, and this not by chance in any 
particular season, but as embodying the results that 
have been produced every season during the past seven 
years. In a word, the Mushrooms that have been 
gathered, weighed, and sold, and the amount that has 
been actually realised, can only be fairly represented by 
the figures now to be submitted, and any others would 
be incorrect. They are founded on the well-ascer¬ 
tained fact that a lineal yard of Mushroom bed in the 
open air yields produce of the value of 15s., and that 
the cost of production is 5s. per lineal yard. This, it 
must be remembered, is the average yield as ascertained 
by the crops gathered and sold during a series of years. 
Occasionally when an extraordinary crop has been 
produced at a time when the market price for Mush¬ 
rooms was high the returns from beds have been 45s. 
per lineal yard. This is mentioned as evidence that 
no attempt has been made to estimate the average 
value as greater than it really is. And now the basis 
having been given on which the figures are founded, 
their accuracy can be tested by such facts as will be 
adduced for that purpose, and it will be found that the 
profits of a well-conducted system of Mushroom cul¬ 
ture, which will be described, have not been over¬ 
estimated. 
