1882 .] 
NEW POMPON DAHLIAS.-GRAND NATIONAL DAHLIA SHOW. 
145 
NEW POMPON DAHLIAS. 
[Plate 571.] 
«a 7HE Pompon Dahlias form a very distinct 
J" class of these popular flowers, and are 
a of great value as decorative plants, 
since from the moderate size of the 
blossoms or flowerheads as they are properly 
called, and their neat form and pleasing 
colours, they are better adapted than most of 
the show kinds for garden ornamentation, as 
well as for indoor decorations where large 
vases of cut flowers have to be furnished. 
The best form in which to exhibit them is that 
of tying them up in neat free bunches of from 
six to ten or twelve flowers, with foliage and 
buds, and to set them up like roses in stands 
of green moss; in this way they have a 
remarkably good and pleasing effect. 
We have recently devoted a plate to the 
illustration of new show sorts, and another 
to some single-flowered varieties of Dahlia 
gracilis, and we now complete the series by 
offering a group of Pompons, for specimens of 
which we are indebted to Mr. C. Turner, of 
Slough, a veteran in the culture and exhibi¬ 
tion of the Dahlia, and the victor in many a 
floral contest. 
The varieties we have figured, and which 
were selected for their distinctness of cha¬ 
racter, are :— 
Fig. 1 . Carl Mendel, a fine crimson 
scarlet. 
Fig. 2. Comtesse de Sternberg, yellow 
tipped with white. 
Fig. 3. Wilhelm Nitsche, rosy-purple 
tipped with white. 
Fig. 4. Lady Blanche, white. 
T. Moore. 
GRAND NATIONAL DAHLIA SHOW. 
OTWITHSTANDING that the Dahlia 
is generally acknowledged to be the 
Queen of Autumn flowers, and not¬ 
withstanding that it was once culti¬ 
vated with warm-hearted zeal all over the 
country, the fact remained that for some years 
past there had been no great Dahlia Show in 
the metropolis, such as we had been accus¬ 
tomed to see in former years. It was not that 
the interest which the flower-loving public or 
the growers had taken in the Dahlia had 
died out, although at first sight this might 
seem to be the case, hut there was clearly a 
lack of energy on the part of the growers, both 
professional and amateur, brought about by 
the want of some stimulus such as an exhibition 
affords, and it was thought that if the flower 
was to maintain its position in public estima¬ 
tion, a revival of the great shows of former 
years should be attempted. The attempt was 
made, chiefly through the efforts of the late 
Mr. G. Smith, Mr. C. Turner, and Mr. Cannell, 
and that it proved thoroughly successful, the 
show held at the Crystal Palace on September 
8th and 9th, which was the outcome of this 
movement, and was a thoroughly representative 
and national one, bears sufficient evidence. 
The only department of the show which 
was not well maintained was that of the pot 
plants. These may be made to form very 
effective specimens, and it was desired by the 
framers of the schedule to show that if grown 
on under glass the forms of D. gracilis at least 
would do much to supplement the dull colours 
which prevail amongst Chrysanthemums used 
for conservatory decoration. The plants shown 
were, however, not at all satisfactory, and 
unless they are brought in better condition in 
future the class must he abolished. That they 
can he grown so as to form specimens of striking 
beauty, there is no doubt whatever. 
The time for making this effort to revive a 
grand Dahlia show was very opportune, for 
the advent of the single Dahlias had excited 
much enthusiasm in certain quarters, and in¬ 
troduced fresh ground to be broken at the 
proposed show. If the singles did not come 
up to the expectations formed of them for 
show purposes, the number of exhibits and 
the interesting display proved at least that our 
principal growers cannot afford to pass them 
over as the “ rubbish ” which some critics 
describe them to be. There is one very great 
mistake often made respecting them, and that 
is, to regard them as rivals of the show and 
fancy varieties ; they are not so in any sense, 
as we have more than once pointed out, but 
should he rather looked upon as new material 
