THE GARDENING WORLD, 
604 
September 14, 1907. 
and of darker rich rose colour than that 
variety. It is quite new and a decided 
advance on its prototype. Bethea was a 
pure white flower, with violet rays on the 
three lower petals. The flowers were 
of great size and substance. Another 
edged flower was Lark, being heavily 
margined with heliotrope on a creamy 
ground. 
A bold and handsome parti-coloured 
flower was Mrs. T. W. R. Johnston, hav¬ 
ing purplish-black lower petals and 
mauve upper petals. This might be con¬ 
sidered in the same strain as Countess of 
Kintore, but the flowers are larger and the 
plant also of taller growth, but a con¬ 
tinuous bloomer. More handsome even 
was that named Lizzie Storcr, which may 
be regarded as an improvement in colour 
upon that previously named. The lower 
petals and the base of the upper ones 
are of a glossy or velvety-black, while 
the top petals shade away into lavender 
towards the tips. 
Quite different in its way was William 
Hamilton, with large, dark-purple 
flowers, streaked or barred with rose. 
The plant grows rather tall and the 
flowers arc of good substance, even to the 
last. A pure primrose self was Maggie 
Clunas, with slender violet rays on the 
three lower petals. Another flower that 
should not Ire overlooked was Mrs. J. 
M’Crae. The best half-dozen of the 
above for bedding or for general culture 
are Mrs. J. H. Rowland, Ada Anderson, 
Lady Grant, Minnie J. Ollar, Lizzie 
Storer and Mrs. Chichester. All of the 
above varieties were obtained from 
Messrs. Dobbie and Co., Rothesay, N.B. 
Dahlias 
At the Crystal Palace. 
The annual exhibition of the National 
Dahlia Society was held at the Crystal 
Palace on the' 5th and 6th inst. Con¬ 
sidering the adverse nature of the season, 
the show was a very good one, all the 
types of show, fancy, Cactus, Pompon, 
and single Dahlias being represented by 
some splendid and attractive exhibits. 
Many good growers had a difficulty in 
getting flowers in time for the show, and 
some could not exhibit any on account of 
the backward nature of the season. The 
weather was fine on the opening day, and 
the show was favoured in that respect. 
Class 1 w 7 as for 48 blooms of as many 
varieties of show Dahlias, and the lead¬ 
ing position was taken by Mr. John 
Walker, Thame, Oxon. Grand blooms 
were Perfection, Comte de la Saux, 
Duchess of York, John Walker, Hero, 
James Cocker, Mrs. Foreman, Virginale, 
Joseph Ashby, Criterion, Duke of Fife, 
Diadem, Mrs. Gladstone, Dr. Keynes, 
Chieftain, Kathleen, and Arthur Raw¬ 
lings. He was followed by Mr. Wm. 
Treseder, Cardiff, with rather smaller 
blooms, but including most of the best 
varieties in fresh condition. Mr. S. 
Mortimer, Rowledge, Farnham, Surrey, 
came in third with a choice lot, though 
some of the choicest blooms were small. 
Messrs. Keynes, Williams and Co., 
Salisbury, took the lead for 24 blooms of 
show Dahlias. Fine massive blooms 
were Mr. Glasscock, Daniel Cornish, Re¬ 
becca, Harry Keith, Maud Fellows, Dr. 
Keynes, and Duchess of York. Mr. G. 
Humphries, Kington Langley, Chippen¬ 
ham, took the second place with a 
scarcely inferior exhibit, and Messrs. J. 
Gray and Sons, Frome, came in third. 
For 18 fancy Dahlias, the lead was 
taken by Mr. Wm. Treseder. Splendid 
blooms of this class were Emin Pasha, 
Mrs. Saunders, Dandy, Watchmen, Rev. 
J. B. M. Camm, John Cooper, and 
Gaiety. The fancy type is merely a show 
Dahlia that is striped, mottled, or tipped 
with another colour. Mr. John Walker 
w'as second. 
Messrs. J. Gray and Sons came to the 
front for 12 fancy Dahlias, having beauti¬ 
ful bloom of Mrs. Sanders, Buffalo Bill, 
Rev. J. B. M. Camm, Sunset, and Mabel. 
He w’as followed by Mr. S. Mortimer with 
smaller but neat blooms. Messrs. 
Keynes, Williams and Co. came in third. 
For 12 show and fancy Dahlias mixed, 
the lead w'as taken by Mr. J. R. Tranter, 
F.R.H.S., Henley-on-Thames. He was 
follow'ed by Messrs. J. Cheal and Sons, 
Crawley, Sussex. 
The Cactus Dahlias as usual provided 
a good display, owing to their being ar¬ 
ranged in bunches and set up in tiers, 
one overlooking the other. The lead for 
18 varieties of Cactus Dahlias in bunches 
was secured for the fifth year in succes¬ 
sion by Messrs. James Stredwick and Son, 
Silverhill Park, St. Leonards-on-Sea. 
The Silver Challenge Cup goes wdth this 
prize, and w'hen won three times in suc¬ 
cession becomes the property of the win¬ 
ner. This is the second cup, however, 
which Messrs. Stredwick are striving for. 
Magnificent varieties were C. E. Wilkins 
(the Silver Medal Dahlia), Ivernia, the 
Rev. Arthur Bridge, Harold Peerman, 
Ruby Grinstead, Helium, Dorothy 
Chamois, F. M. Stredwick (white), J. B. 
Riding (bronze orange and yellow), Mrs. 
Macmillan, Mrs. F. Grinstead, Clara, 
Mrs. W. H. Raby, and Geo. Gordon, all 
in fine condition. The second prize was 
secured by Messrs. J. Burrell and Co., 
Howe House Nurseries, Cambridge, for 
a tine display, amongst u'hich Fairy, 
Hilda (both white), Fiorina, Crespy, and 
Oscar were very choice. The third prize 
went to Messrs. J. Cheal and Sons, with 
handsome varieties named Daisy Easton, 
H. Shoesmith, Cockatoo, J. B. Riding, 
Thomas Parkin, and the New Mauve 
Queen. (First Class Certificate.) 
For 12 bunches of Cactus Dahlias the 
lead was taken by Mr. H. Shoesmith, 
Westfield, Woking, who had graceful and 
charming varieties in Snowdrift and 
Ophelia (white), H. Shoesmith and Ham¬ 
let (crimson), and Buttercup (yellow). 
Mr. G. Humphries took the second award 
with some fine varieties. Mr. John 
Walker came in third. 
For 48 blooms displayed on boards the 
leading award was secured by Messrs. 
Keynes, Williams and Co., with enormous 
blooms of Kathleen Bryant, Janet B. 
Barklay, Ruby Grinstead, and Bohemian. 
Messrs. J. Burrell and Co. and J. Stred¬ 
wick and Son followed in this order. 
They reminded one of Chrysanthemums 
displayed in-this fashion. 
The class for 24 blooms was also 
staged on boards. Mr. G. Humphries 
took the lead with grand blooms of The 
Pilot, Mrs. Winstanley, Iris, Alight, H. 
F. Robertson, and H. Shoesmith. Mr. 
John Walker and Mr. M. V. Seale, \ ine 
Nurseries, Severn aks, took the remaining 
prizes in good competition. 
Messrs. J. Burrell and Co. took the 
lead in the class for 12 bunches in vases, 
arranged with other foliage. 
The Pompon Dahlias as usual made a 1 
fine display, and the exhibitors make a 
point of getting small and neat blooms, 
and in this they succeeded. The lead for 
24 varieties was taken by Mr. Charles 
Turner, Slough. Charming varieties 
were Isabel, Hecla, Ideal, San Toy, 
Bacchus, Sibyl, Queen of Whites, Thora, 
Minnie, and Darkest of All. Mr. M. 
V. Seale was second, and some of his 
blooms were decidedly larger. Messrs. 
J. Cheal and Sons came in third with 
charming bunches of Virgo, Minnie, 
Elsa, Florence, etc. 
For 12 varieties of Pompons, Messrs. 
J. Burrell and Co. were first, followed 
by Messrs. J. Gray and Sons, and Messrs. 
Keynes, Williams and Co. in this order. 
Messrs. J. Cheal and Sons took the 
lead for 24 varieties of single Dahlias in 
charming bunches of Alice Castle, For¬ 
mosa, Leslie Seale, Mikado, Aurora, 
Snowdrop, Miss Roberts, Columbine, 
Alma, Kitty, Rosebank Scarlet, etc. Like 
the Cactus Dahlias and Pompons, the 
singles are arranged in bunches, and the 
bright colours are very effective. Mr. 
M. V. Seale was second. 
' Messrs. J. Gray and Song had the best 
12 bunches of single Dahlias, followed 
by Mr. John Walker. 
In the amateur's classes the leading 
place for 24 varieties was taken by 
Messrs. Webb and Thompson, 7, Mount 
Pleasant, Kingswood, Bristol. Show and 
fancy varieties were permitted. Mr. 
Thomas Jones, Bryn, Pen-y-lan, Ruabon, 
N. Wales, was a good second, and Mr. 
Sidney Cooper, The Hamlet, Chippen¬ 
ham, was third. 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
Messrs. T. S. Ware, Ltd., Feltham, 
Middlesex, had a large display of Cactus, 
Pompon, single and other Dahlias. They 
also had splendid blooms of seedling 
tuberous Begonias and a group of pot 
plants. (Silver Gilt Medal.) 
Messrs. H. Cannell and Sons, Swanley, 
had a fine arra'y of Cactus Dahlias. 
(Crystal Palace Silver Medal.) 
Mr. J. T. West, Tower Hill, Brent¬ 
wood, had a fine display of Cactus and 
Pompon Dahlias. (Silver Medal.) 
Messrs. J. Laing and Sons, Forest Hill, 
had a display of Crotons and other 
foliage plants. 
Hobbies, Ltd., Dereham, Norfolk, had 
an extensive exhibit of Dahlias in great 
variety, also Roses cut from the open. 
Very fine were Liberty, Mme. Abel 
Chatenay, etc. (Silver Gilt Medal.) 
Mr. J. F. Groves, Ham, Surrey, had a 
fine exhibit of Chrysanthemum Mrs. 
Chas. Lowthian Bell, mixed with 
Lobelias and Statices. 
Mr. John E. Knight, Arcade, Wolver¬ 
hampton, had a display of Dahlias set 
up on various forms of stands. (Silver 
Medal.) 
Messrs. J. Peed and Son, West Nor¬ 
wood, London, had a very varied display 
of Gloxinia flowers, arranged upon 
leaves. Selfs, banded and spotted varie¬ 
ties, were plentiful. (Silver Medal.) 
