LIMESTONE GARDENS, Washington, Ky. 
3 
RATINGS AND SYMBOLS 
To eliminate a multiplicity of words and give you more accurate 
descriptions of our offerings, we have adhered to the system used last 
season. For example: 
JANE COWL, ID (cge-h)—A. 
Capital letters immediately following the variety name indicate type of 
bloom; FD, Formal Decorative; ID, Informal Decorative; SC, Semi 
Cactus; StrC, Straight Cactus; IncC, Incurved Cactus. 
In describing the type of miniatures, these letters are prefixed “M.” 
The first group of small letters in parenthesis following type symbols 
indicate purposes to which the bloom is adaptable: 
c—Cut flower; g—Garden flower; ^e—Exhibition flower. 
The group of small letters following the dash and completing the paren¬ 
thesis indicate the height of plant; 1, low; m, medium; h, high. 
Intermediate heights are indicated by a combination of these symbols. 
The capital A, B, C or D, following the parenthesis is the rating. 
In the example above, Jane Cowl is an ID, Informal Decorative. 
It is a (cge-h) cut flower, garden and exhibition flower and the plant 
grows high. 
It is rated A, the highest given to but very few dahlias. 
For our opinion of a dahlia with which you are not familiar, find a variety 
which you know, having the same rating as the dahlia in question 
and you immediately have our estimate of its comparative merit. 
The capital letters, R. C. immediately following plant price, mean “Root¬ 
ed Cuttings.” 
ROOTED CUTTINGS 
Judging by the perennial disputes relative to the merit of green plants 
and rooted cuttings, we are forced to conclude that comparatively few 
people really understand just what a rotted: cutting actually is. Appar¬ 
ently there is an inclination to leave the dahlia growing public in the 
dark about this matter, we fear, for the sole purpose of encouraging the 
purchase of higher priced stock which automatically brings more profits 
to the producer. 
Commercial growers who are ethical and reliable, follow the same 
general practice in producing plants. The plant is first a green cutting 
without roots. In the process of time, with the proper handling, Nature 
provides roots at the base of the cutting. It is then a “Rooted Cutting.” 
After growing for from 25 to 40 days it becomes what is known to you 
as a plant. Thus you will see a plant and a Rooted Cutting are identical 
except as to extent of development. 
If you understand what you are about, Rooted Cuttings are highly 
satisfactory. If you are inexperienced and ill equipped, use plants or 
loots instead. If you are possessed of an experimental nature, you will 
find it highly interesting and perhaps very profitable to try a few Rooted 
Cuttings. 
In the following pages Rooted Cuttings are designated as “R. C.” 
