DECEMBER. 
853 
DAHLIA, “JUPITER.” 
(Plate 133 .) 
The accompanying illustration, the last of our tenth volume, is 
the first fancy Dahlia we have figured. 
In the Dahlia lists of 1845 Oakley’s Surprise is the only 
fancy Dahlia we find. In a season or two, however, this showy 
class had increased to a very considerable number, and from that 
time to the present they have gone on gradually improving 
in quality, and that to such an extent that many now rival the 
“ seifs” in form, and are also marked in the most dissimilar and 
fanciful manner, including “tipped,” “edged,” “striped,” 
“spotted,” and “ blotched.” The favourite and by far the most 
efiective class is the “tipped,” one of which we now figure, 
produced by Mr. Rawlings, a very successful raiser of new 
Dahlias. 
It has been very frequently exhibited during the past season, 
and appears to be very constant, with the advantage of having 
strongly contrasted colours—maroon tipped with white. 
As a class, compared with the “ seifs,” the fault of the fancies 
is their inconstancy, either in marking, or coming full in the centre. 
The following are the best in these respects:—-Charles Perry, 
Lady Paxton, Cleopatra, Comet, Duchess of Kent, Baron 
Alderson, Miss Frampton, Pigeon, Butterfly, Kaiseren Von 
Osteriche, Magician, and Conqueror. 
The striped kinds are becoming too numerous in proportion to 
others, and the more so, they not being as garden varieties so 
eflTective as those which are tipped only. 
We have often been applied to by amateur growers for a 
definition' of what constitutes a fancy Dahlia. This, however, 
we cannot give better than do the leading growers in their pub¬ 
lished catalogues. 
If an inexperienced exhibitor has any doubt as to the class in 
which he should exhibit any particular variety, he may safely 
consult such lists. It is held by some that striped kinds should 
be exhibited as a distinct class; this may be found to be desirable, 
but it is evident that we shall speedily have one of bedding 
Dahlias, some particulars of which we propose to give in a future 
number. 
CHRONICLES OF A SMALL GARDEN.—No. V. 
Gentle reader (for gentle I hope you are, if a florist), have you 
ever been in the company of ladies, when they are indulging in one of 
their greatest enjoyments, a day’s shopping? If so, you must have 
noticed the keen relish with which they “ go at it,” the nice discrimi- 
VOL. X., NO. CXX. Y 
