September 12, 1889 . ] 
221 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
But the Dahlia did not die, nor were the ten years of eclipse a 
loss to its history, for, in truth, while under the cloud and obscured from 
the public vision, it was like any other honest flower that darkness has 
fallen upon, preparing itself for the light of a new day. In that wonder¬ 
ful fifteenth chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians, St. Paul, 
seeking for a familiar image of an occult fact, says, “ that which thou 
sowest is not quickened except it die.” It will not be irreverent to 
perceive somewhat of an illustration of this appeal to Nature in the 
eclipse for a season and ultimate recovery of the Dahlia in the sunshine 
of public favour, because it was in the mind and heart of man that both 
took place. There was seen upon the horizon of the world of flowers 
the original Dahlia of 1789 ; the simple Mexican flower known as the 
Single Dahlia suddenly acquired popularity, as though its beauties were 
perceived for the first time, just as some particular star may become 
visible and obtain universal attention that would n it have been seen 
except through the accident of an eclipse. The single Dahlia lighted us 
through the darkness until the florists’ Dahlia emerged from the gloom, 
and a, way was prepared for a new study and a new love of this 
magnificent flower, one result of which is that doubles and singles now 
divide empire between them, as in the celestial order of the earthly 
seasons the month of May, the “ sweet of the year,” is ruled by Gemini 
the twins. 
Concurrently with the revival of the single flowers as subjects of 
special attention, there came into the floral firmament a quite new star 
known as the Cactus Dahlia, and this, having given birth to a numerous 
progeny, the Cactus family may be said to form a constellation for us, 
perhaps, as beautiful as the Pleiades, but already exceeding them in 
number. Indeed, I have seen as many as twenty varieties of the Cactus 
group in one border. It was on the 3rd of September, 1880, that the 
present star arose on our horizon. Upon that date Mr. H. Cannell, 
of Swanley, presented at the Fruit Show in Alexandra Palace the first 
flowers of Dahlia Juarezi seen in this country. This distinct and 
beautiful variety is not a descendant of Brown’s Glow-worm, as may 
appear to be suggested by a remark I have made, but is an independent 
and original introduction from Mexico in the year 1872, by Mr. J. T. 
Vanderberg, of Juxphaar, near Utrecht, with whom it flowered in 1873. 
Messrs. Ant. Boozen, of Overween, obtained it, and supplied roots to Mr. 
Cullingford of Kensington, who thus became the introducer of the noble 
flower to England, and through him it passed into the hands of Mr. 
Cannell, who secured for it a place of high rank in public favour. It 
was figured and its history recorded in the Garden newspaper, May 
7th, 1881, since when there has become established a considerable family 
of Cactus varieties, greatly to the advantage of our gardens and exhi¬ 
bitions. 
To return to the cold current of dates and circumstances : in 1876 it 
was seen that the Metropolitan Society for the Encouragement of 
Florists’ Flowers had closed its brief career, and the Dahlia was in the 
position of virtue in a wicked world where none could deny its beauty, 
but there were not many who would fight in its defence. If I were 
asked to give an explanation for the collapse of this thing I should say 
that its great size made a small thing of it; the aim was to gather into 
one body a number of elements that certainly were not and are not dis¬ 
cordant ; but they are without any necessary principle of cohesion, and 
it appears to be impossible for cultivators of Tulips, Auriculas, 
Carnations, Dahlias, Hollyhocks, and Chrysanthemums—to name a few 
subjects only—to pull together and share in a common fund with com¬ 
bined energies for the promotion of flowers that demand for their full 
measure of justice individual enthusiasm and sympathy, in place of the 
corporate omniscience measured with red tape that is an inevitable 
characteristic of societies formed for large and general purposes. These 
considerations tend to show that special societies are absolutely needful 
in floriculture, and the National Dahlia Society, which came into 
existence in the year 1881, and held its first Show in the Crystal Palace, 
September 8th and 9th, 1882, needs no better justification than a plain 
record of the facts that immediately led up to its formation. May its 
shadow increase 1 I b°g pardon, it casts no shadow, for, like the sun, it 
is a source of light. May its light shine strong and far, and prove con¬ 
tinuous, for the advantage of this nation that has so readily yielded to 
the persuasions of town life, and would doubtless perish of inanition 
were the horticulturists ever to slacken in their efforts to render town 
life and trade pursuits endurable by the disguising of their harsh lines 
and discordant colours with the wreaths of flowers that seem to brine 
the breath of Paradise into our midst in aid of bodily health and 
spiritual joy. Alas ! alas 1 at the graveside we are accustomed to say 
in the midst of life we are in death. Here, amid these glorious flowers, 
I feel compelled to show the money-box, for as lovers must dine - and 
the soul of poetry in some measure lives on vulgar pen and ink—and 
perhaps in its poverty has to steal paper—so the Dahlia needs pecuniary 
support, and I ask you all to join at once the National Dahlia Society, 
and 1 would now exact a pledge from every old member to bring in a 
new member, and every new member to bring ten at least, for when a 
man enters a thing of this sort his connection is like young humanity, 
and should readily take contagion of his example. 
THE SHOW DAHLIA. 
[ By Mr. Harry Turner.] 
The subject of this paper being only to treat upon Show and Fancy 
Dahlias as show flowers, I shall confine my remarks strictly to this 
subject. The first double or semi-double flowers were obtained about 
the year 1811 by Mr. Donkelaar of the Botanic Gardens, Louvain, and 
from three p’ants which bore double flowers many varieties were raised, 
and were imported into this country during the winter of that year, 
the number of Show and Fancy varieties stea lily increasing until we 
find sixty varieties were cultivated by the London Horticultural Society 
in the year 1826. Various shades of colour and the quality of the 
flower gradually improved until the year 1832, when the most decided 
advance was made by the raising of Springfield Rival, a crimson 
flower described as superb ; and in the year 1841 the number had so 
increased that one grower claimed to have in his garden 1212 double 
varieties. 
After that year many Show and Fancy flowers were raised, and in 
the year 1840 we find then some popular flowers were exhibited—viz., 
Sharp’s Beauty of the Plain in eighty-nine stands, forty-four of which 
were first prize stands. Cox’s Defiance, a yellow flower, was also ex¬ 
hibited sixty-seven times in forty-one first prize stands. Two of the best 
flowers in 1841 being Conqueror of the World, a yellow ground slightly 
tipped, and Rival Revenge, a yellow flower very much ribbed, and which 
would be discarded from any stand of the present day. Another of the 
same date, Burnham Hero, having a very bad outline and rough open 
petals. In the next year 1842 Whale’s Attila was sent out, a lilac ground 
with a faint crimson stripe, and also Beauty of Wakefield, a large loose 
petalled variety with a Picotee edge of lilac, and Princess Royal 
(Hudson’s), a rough flower. The next flowers of importance were 
Beeswing, a dwarf growing variety with crimson flowers, which was 
exhibited in all the winning stands in 1845 ; Essex Pride was also good 
at this time. Amongst the new and improved varieties in 1846 was 
Cassandra, Magician, Marchioness of Cornwallis, a blush white, not 
unlike our present Mrs. Gladstone in colour, but not approaching this 
latter variety in quality, and Princess Radziwill, a white ground flower 
tipped with rose, but with a long pointed petal. About this time the 
flowers had so much improved upon former varieties, that only one 
variety exhibited in the first prize stand of the same number of blooms 
in 1846 was exhibited six years previously, and that variety was Spring- 
field Rival. Tte next year, 1847, brought out Scarlet Gem and Berryer, 
the latter a very dark flower, but with a very ribbed petal ; the next 
vaiiety of note was Shylock, a scarlet flower that obtained fourteen first 
prizes and first class certificates ; in the same year Toison d’Or, a French 
variety, obtained some notoriety. In the next year Mr. Seldon was 
introduced, a very constant flower, which remained in cultivation for 
fifteen or sixteen years. In 1851 Barmaid, raised by Mr. Holmes, was 
the most successful flower ; it was a tipped variety, after the style of 
our present Mrs. Shirley Hibberd, but not so constant or good in 
qua'ity. Mrs. Hansard of this year, a Fancy variety, yellow tipped with 
white, was a great addition to this class. Bob, a scarlet variety, was 
about this time grown very successfully, it was a very tall growing 
variety. The next year, 1853, was an important year ; John Franklin, 
Queen Victoria, and Miss Caroline were some of the principal intro¬ 
ductions. 
The outline of the flower about this time was much improved, and 
in 1856 a standard flower, which has been grown to the present time, 
was raised by George Holmes, Esq.,—viz., Lord Palmerston. After 
this came Lord Derby, Leah, Earl of Pembroke, George Rawlings, 
Harriet Tetterill, John Wyatt, Lady Gladys Herbert, Mrs. Henshaw, 
Umpire, a chaste flower, but rather small ; Fanny Sturt, Gem, Sultan, 
and Queen Mab, most of these varieties being grown up to the present 
time. The great improvement which has taken place in the Show and 
Fancy Dahlia in the last twenty-five yearn is in the outline, well-shaped 
petal anl perfect centre, the flowers of the present day requiring little 
or no dressing in comparison to the time it took thirty years since to 
prepare a stand of Dahlias for exhibition. The improvement in the 
flower has also had some effect on the habit, and the Show varieties of 
the present day are not nearly so tall in habit as those grown twenty- 
five years since. 
I might say a few words as to the preparation of the plant to pro¬ 
duce show flowers, although the subject has been described in another 
paper under the heading of cultivation. The plants intended to be planted 
out to produce show flowers should be transferred from the small 5-inch 
pots (in the early part of May) into 48’s or 32’s, and placed in a cold 
frame until planted out early in June. Nearly all the varieties make strong 
plants, and succeed well if grown from cuttings, but a few varieties 
such as Bendigo, Mrs. Foster, Burgundy, Herbert Turner, &c., which are 
very double, or are apt to come with green centres, are better grown 
from pot roots or old divided ground roots. The plants should be 
planted 5 feet by 4 feet apart : if in a border, arranging for the tallest 
flowers at the back. After the ground has been squared out dig holes 
about 2 feet square and the same in depth—into each hole put a spadeful 
of light potting shed or other soil mixed with a little manure-this is to 
give the plant a start—break up the soil taken out of the ho'e before 
returning it, and after the plant is planted lightly tread when replacing 
it. A light stick will hold the plant for a few days, and when planting 
is fiuished put a stout stake 4 to 5 feet high to each plant, and tie the 
stem of the plant to the stake rather loosely to allow for the stem to 
swell in due course. As soon as the main stem throws out laterals add 
four smaller stakes to secure the side branches to keep them well tied 
out, so that plenty of light and air are admitted to the plants during 
growth. 
There is no general rule for disbudding, every variety has to le 
studied in this respect—to commf-nce to disbud some coarse-growing 
varieties, such as Champion RoBo, Royal Queen, &c., as soon as the 
buds appear would make the flowers coarse the whole season, whilst all 
varieties should be sparingly disbudded at first by taking only one bud 
away, and then within three weeks of the exhibition the grower can 
