InTf.. ] 
D-VHIilA l-AKAOOX, 
1 ) 
be watered freel}’. Towards the end of 
June, it will have made a good growth. The 
plant must still be kept in a good heat and 
have plenty of air, with all the light possible, 
to ripen the young shoots. After a few weeks’ 
rest, a fresh growth is made, and these are the 
shoots which bear the flowers. Towards the 
middle or end of August, when it is covered 
with its panicles of beautiful purple flowers, it 
is a very striking object, and not surpassed by 
many stove plants. I have been surprised that 
this plant is not more grown than it is as an 
exhibition plant. I can only recollect seeing 
it exhibited once, and then it was the most 
beautiful plant in the marquee. It is easily 
grown, it requires little attention during the 
winter months, and is not troubled much with 
insects. Moreover, when in flower, it is much 
more attractive than one-half the plants that are 
exhibited in August.—M. Saul, Stourtvn. 
DAHLIA 
R'jON the course of the past season, flowers of 
^ this single variety of Dahlia were exhi- 
bited at the metropolitan floral meetings, 
and attracted a good deal of notice for their 
singular beauty, apart from any consideration 
of merit attaching to the so-called double- 
flowered varieties of the florist. It appears to 
be an old sort, cultivated upwards of forty years 
since, and has fortunately been preserved, 
though not much known, since it was recognised 
by but very few of our present florists. Like 
the brilliant scarlet single, or radiate flowers 
of J-K cocciii'a and D. mexicana^ those of D. 
Vanujon are exceedingly beautiful as border 
flowers, and for use in vases as cut flow'crs. 
The flowers, or rather the ray florets, of which 
PARAGON. 
but one row is developed, forming what is 
called a “ single ” flower, are of a rich velvety 
maroon, edged with dark crimson, the effect of 
this colouring being very pleasing. This ray of 
dark-coloured florets surrounds the yellow disk, 
or eye, as it is called, wdiich serves by contrast 
to light up and show off the deeper tints 
which encircle it. The plant appears to be a 
variety of the JJahUa lariabilis, from which 
the florist’s double varieties have sprung, and 
together with the other single-flow'ered sorts 
above alluded to, will be viewed from an alto¬ 
gether different stand-point from that whence 
the florists’ varieties are surveyed. Mr. Can- 
nell, of Swanley, obtained a First-class Certificate 
for the blooms exhibited, and wc owe him our 
thanks for the use of the accompanying figure, 
which is somewhat reduced from the natural 
size.—T. Mooee. 
