J. K. Alexander , E. Bridgewater , Massachusetts E. Bridgewater Dahlia Gardens 
ERRORS. —While my system of handling orders 
is as near perfect as possible, in the rush of business 
errors occasionally occur, and I hope to be promptly 
notified of such, giving me an opportunity to make 
proper adjustments. I would suggest that you keep 
a copy of your order for comparison. 
REMITTANCES.— May be made by Check, Post 
Office or Express Money Order, or Registered Letter, 
and if for less than $5.00 can be made in U. S. stamps, 
coin and currency should be sent by registered letter. 
Customers residing outside the United States please 
do not send Foreign stamps or currency—a Post Office 
order is preferable. 
GUARANTEE. —I wish it distinctly understood 
that although I take all possible pains, I will not be 
held reponsible beyond the purchase price. I guaran¬ 
tee every bulb, root and plant I send out to be just as 
represented, absolutely true-to-name, reach its desti¬ 
nation safely in good growing condition. I will cheer¬ 
fully replace anything that fails to prove otherwise, 
and will appreciate your calling my attention to it. 
PRICES. —The prices herein cancel all previous ones. 
These prices are void when my 1923 catalog is issued. 
I make the following special quantity prices to large 
buyers, such as Estates, Schools and Institutions. 
Any one variety prices at 25 cents each may be had 
at $2.50 per dozen; any one variety priced at 35 cents 
each may be had at $3.50 per dozen, and so on with 
50 criii«. 75 iThtH. $1.00, $2.00, $3.00 and $5.00 varie- 
tii ' * s i* '»! variety may be had at the dozen rate. 
Tin ♦ in a "living of about 20%. If wanted in lots of 
25 of ono variety or more, write for quantity prices, 
stating quantity desired. 
CONNECTIONS. Di tance Telephone; 
< Mb' i I a i Hiidg< itei Number One. 
Residence Mast Bridgewater 145. 
Telegraph, 
Western Union, Brockton, Mium. 
Post Office, Express and Freight Office, East 
Bridgewater, Mass. 
TERMS.—Cash with orders or in advance of ship¬ 
ment. No shipments made C. O. I). 
name AND address. Plea a remembm to 
write your name, street and number, Post Office, 
County, State and Country if Foreign, as plainly as 
possible. Post Office Box or It. F. D. number if you 
have one. This will avoid delays and chances for 
errors. 
ALWAYS ADDRESS 
J. K. ALEXANDER, Inc. 
The Dahlia King 
547-559 Central Street 
EAST BRIDGEWATER MASS. 
Classification of Dahlias 
As adopted by the American Dahlia Society. 
The Dahlia belongs to the family Compositae (or Carduaceae, as the family is now sometimes known) and is 
a close relative of our native species of Coreopsis and Bidens (“beggar-ticks”) and our cultivated Cosmos. What 
we commonly call the flower is botanically, as also in the sun-flower, a flower-cluster or head, made up of numerous 
closely aggregated flowers, which are often of two or more kinds. In the so-called Single Dahlias, a few outer 
flowers of the cluster have broad, flat conspicuous expanded corollas or rays (popularly but not botanically the 
“petals,”) while the inner or disc flowers, including most of the flowers of the cluster, have small inconspicuous, 
tubular corollas. 
Growers and exhibitors of Dahlias recognize several different classes or groups of Dahlias, based on the form 
and other characters of the “flower” or head. The extremes in form are very pronounced, and it is usually easy 
to say into which class a flower is to be placed; but here, as elsewhere in nature, and more especially where nature 
has been interfered with by man, the lines of separation are not always hard and fast, and it sometimes happens 
that a variety may be found classified under two and sometimes three different headings in catalogs of different 
dealers. The names and their applications as recently defined by the American Dahlias Society follow: — 
SINGLE DAHLIAS. Open-centered flowers, small 
to very large, with 8 to 12 floral rays (petals) more or 
less in one circle, margins often decurved or revolute 
(turned down or backward). There are no distinc¬ 
tions as to colors. This class embraces the large 
Century type as well as the small English varieties. 
They resemble the Cosmos. 
COLLARETTE DAHLIAS. Of the single type, 
with not more than 9 large floral rays; but with a 
circle of smaller, narrower, usually different colored 
rays, standing at the base or in front of the larger 
rays and forming a sort of collar between them and the 
open center. 
DUPLEX DAHLIAS. Semi-double flowers; cen¬ 
ter almost exposed on opening of bud, rays more than 
twelve, in more than one circle, long and flat, or broad 
and rounded, not noticeably twisted or curled. Many 
Dahlias previously classed as Peony-flowered belong 
here. 
PEONY-FLOWERED DAHLIAS. Flowers are 
Semi-double, having two, three or more rows of broad, 
flat, loosely arranged rays or petals, surrounding an 
open center, which is usually a conspicuous golden 
yellow. The inner floral rays being usually curled or 
twisted, the outer rays either flat, or more or less 
irregular. Sometimes the rays are pointed, occa¬ 
sionally they curl and twist over the center. 
DECORATIVE DAHLIAS. Double flowers, full 
to the center, early in the season at least, flat rather 
than ball-shaped, with broad, flat, somewhat loosely 
arranged floral rays with broad points or rounded 
tips which are straight or decurved (turned down or 
back) not incurved, and with margins revolute, if 
rolled at all. 
BALL SHAPED, DOUBLE DAHLIAS. Full to the 
(A) *SHOW TYPE. Flowers globular or ball 
shaped rather than broad or flat, full to the center, 
showing regular spiral arrangement of florets, with 
floral rays or petals more or less quilled or with their 
margins involute (rolled forward or inward) and 
rounded tip. (Dahlias of this type with flowers spotted 
variegated or parti-colored, were formerly classed as 
Fancy; a group no longer recognized.) 
(B) HYBRID SHOW, GIANT SHOW OR CO¬ 
LOSSAL TYPE. Flowers fully double, broadly 
hemispherical to flatly globular in form, loosely built 
so spiral arrangement of florets is not immediately 
evident; floral rays broad, heavy, cupped or quilled, 
with rounded tips and more or less involute mar gins. 
Verging towards the Decorative Class and some¬ 
times found classed with the Decoratives. 
(C) POMPON TYPE. Sum shape and foitt aa 
A and B, but flowers must be under two inches in 
diameter. 
CACTUS DAHLIAS: Double flowers. 
(A) TRUE FLUTED TYPE. Flowers fully double, 
floral rays or petals long, narrow, incurved or 
twisted, with sharp, divided or fluted points and with 
margins revolute (rolled backward or outward) form¬ 
ing in the outer florets, a more or less perfect tube for 
more than half the length of the ray or petal. 
(B) HYBRID CACTUS. Flowers fully double, 
floral rays (petals) short as compared with previous 
type; broad, flat, recurved or twisted, not sharply 
pointed except when tips are divided (staghorn) 
margins only slightly revolute, and tubes of outer 
florets, if any, less than half the length of the ray or 
petal. This type intergrades with the Decorative 
and Peony-flowered classes. 
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