May  14.  1903. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
419 
heads  the  list  of  Show  Dahlias.  In  my  last  analysis  I 
expressed  the  opinion  that  this  fine  variety  would  at  no 
distant  date  have  to  give  place  to  the  premier  yellow, 
R.  T.  Rawlings  ;  but  the  display  in  that  section  was  such 
a  remarkably  poor  one  last  year  that  no  trustworthy  judg¬ 
ment  on  that  point  can  be  fonned  from  the  additional 
evidence  it  affords.  It  can  only  be  stated  with  certainty 
that  both  varieties  at  each  of  the  last  eight  exhibitions 
have  been  almost  equally  well  I’epresented,  and  that 
the  variety  with  the  most  consistent  record  from  the 
present  tune  must  ultimately  take  the  lead.  The  estab¬ 
lished  kinds  most  frequently  staged  in  advance  of  their 
average  records  were  John  Walker,  William  Powell,  James 
Cocker,  Mrs.  W.  Slack,  Perfection,  and  Marjorie.  While, 
on  the  other  hand.  Colonist,  Duke  of  Fife,  Maud  Fellowes, 
Hany  Keith,  Harrison  Weir,  and  many  other  sorts 
taking  lower  positions  on  the  table  were  but  sparsely 
shown. 
Regarding  as  new  varieties  those  which  at  the  time  of 
the  last  exhibition  were  five  or  less  years  old,  they  will  be 
found  to  be  only  three  in  number’.  The  1897  variety,  Daniel 
Cornish,  has  not  improved  on  its  position  of  the  previous 
year,  and  still  remains  at  No.  38.  On  the  other  hand, 
Muriel  Flobbs  (No.  44),  sent  out  in  1898,  has  risen  five 
places,  while  the  newest  claimant  for  honours,  David  John¬ 
son,  which  was  distributed  in  1899,  finds  an  honourable 
place  on  its  first  appearance  in  the  table  at  No.  22. 
The  two  most  notewoi-thy  features  in  the  list  of  Fancies 
are  (1)  the  appai-ently  unassailable  position  of  the  Rev. 
J.  B.  M.  Camm  as  the  premier  flower,  and  (2)  the  good 
place  taken  by  the  only  new  variety  on  the  list. 
Watchman  (No.  9),  being  an  advance  on  its  last  year’s 
record  of  five  places.  Rev.  J.  B.  M.  Camm,  although  sent 
out  thirty  years  ago,  was  last  year  more  frequently  staged 
than  anj^  other  Show  or  Fancy  Dahlia  in  the  exhibition. 
Moreover,  taking  into  consideration  the  extent  of  the 
different  shows,  in  no  previous  year  has  its  record  been 
quite  as  good.  Emin  Pasha,  S.  Mortimer,  and  Prince 
Henry  were  also  unusually  well  represented.  On  the  other 
hand,  Mrs.  John  Downie  and  Buffalo  Bill  have  never  before 
been  as  sparsely  shown.  The  only  Fancy  Dahlia  on  the 
list  which  is  five  or  less  years  old  is  Watchman.  Although 
only  sent  out  in  1899,  it  already  occupies,  as  before  stated, 
an  excellent  position  on  the  table. 
Pompon  Dahlias. 
There  is  evidently  much  greater  vitality  in  this  section 
than  among  the  Shows  and  Fancies,  for  nearly  all  the 
varieties  now  exhibited  are  of  comparatively  recent  origin. 
For  instance,  only  ten  out  of  the  twenty-seven  Pompons 
named  in  the  list  below  are  more  than  six  years  old,  while 
of  the  remaining  seventeen  as  many  as  eight  have  been 
sent  out  since  1898. 
In  the  following  list  the  varieties  are  arranged  accord¬ 
ing  to  their  averages  for  the  last  four  years.  Those  which 
at  the  time  of  the  last  exhibition  were  "three  or  fewer  years 
old  are  indicated  by  an  asterisk 1,  Bacchus ;  2,  Emily 
Hopper ;  3,  Nerissa ;  4,  Douglas ;  4,  Phoebe ;  4,  Sunny 
Daybreak ;  4,  Tommy  Keith  ;  8,  Ganymede ;  9,  G.  Brinck- 
man ;  10,  Lilian ;  10,  Whisper ;  12,  Captain  Boyton ;  12, 
Dr.  Jim;  Madeline;  14,  Nellie  Broomhead ;  16, 
Adelaide;*  16,  Buttercup;*  16,  Darkest  of  All;*  16,  Little 
Bugler  ;  *  20,  Arthur  West ;  21,  Demon  ;  22,  Ernest  Harper  ; 
22,  Jessica;  24,  Donovan;  24,  Eurydice  ;  24,  Rosebud;  24, 
Snowflake.  For  general  cultivation  the  following  varieties 
in  their  respective  colours  can  be  confidently  recommended 
as  free-flowering,  inexpensive,  and  reliable  :  White,  Guiding 
Star  or  White  Aster ;  yellow,  Emily  Hopper  and  Whisper ; 
orange,  Phoebe  ;  rose  or  jjink,  Nerissa  ;  lilac,  Thalia  and  Nellie 
Broomhead ;  scarlet,  Bacchus ;  crimson,  Arthur  West  and 
Commodore  ;  maroon,  Douglas  ;  fancy.  Tommy  Keith. 
Cactus  Dahlias. 
In  the  following  list  the  leading  varieties  will  be  found 
arranged  according  to  the  number  of  times  they  were  staged 
at  the  last  exhibition  of  the  National  Dahlia.  Society,  and 
also,  for  comparison,  their  records,  where  available,  for  the 
two  previous  shows. 
1902  1901 
1900 
1 
Lord  Roberts,  1900  . 
26 
26 
— 
ivory  white 
2 
Mrs.  J.  J.  Crowe,  1900  .... 
23 
31 
23 
clear  canary  yellow 
2 
Uncle  Tom,  1900  . 
23 
39 
23 
maroon 
4 
Britannia,  iS98  . 
22 
52 
55 
salmon  pink  and  apricot 
4 
J.  W.  Wilkinson,  1901  .... 
22 
28 
— 
rosy  crimson 
6 
Galliard,  1901 . 
20 
17 
— 
crimson  scarlet 
7 
Mrs.  Carter  Page,  1900. . . . 
19 
25 
26 
deep  crimson 
8 
Mrs.  Edward  Mawley,  1902 
17 
— 
'  - 
clear  yellow 
9 
Cornucopia,  1900  . 
15 
10 
10 
deep  reddish  salmon 
9 
Vesta,  1901  . 
15 
13 
— 
pink 
11 
Ajax, 1900  . 
14 
11 
7 
orange  and  buff 
11 
J.  Weir  Fife,  1901  . 
14 
11 
- - 
deep  crimson 
11 
Zephyr,  1900  . 
14 
18 
18 
bright  rose  pink 
14 
Alpha,  1902  . . . 
l13 
— 
— 
white,  flaked  purplish 
14 
C.  Woodbridge,  1897  . 
13 
29 
47 
crimson  [crimson 
14 
Floradora,  1901  . 
13 
6 
— 
crimson 
17 
Aunt  Chloe,  1902  . 
12 
— 
- - 
dark  velvety  maroon 
17 
Viscountess  Sherbrooke, 1899 
12 
19 
26 
reddish  terra-cotta 
19 
Clara  G.  Stredwick,  1902  . . 
11 
— 
— 
salmon, shading  to  yellow 
19 
Mayor  Tuppeney,  1900 .... 
11 
15 
26 
yellow,  orange,  and  fawn 
19 
Starfish,  1897  . 
11 
9 
41 
orange  scarlet 
22 
Gabriel,  1902  . 
10 
— 
— 
crimson,  tipped  white 
22 
Mrs.  Winstanley,  1902  .... 
10 
— 
— 
scarlet, shading  toyellow 
22 
Prince  of  Yellows,  1901  . . 
10 
6 
— 
deep  yellow 
22 
Rosine,  1901  . 
10 
11 
— 
rose 
FANCY  DAHLIAS. 
Position  in  Present 
Analysis.  ! 
Average  Number  of 
Times  Shown. 
No.  of  Times  Shown 
in  1902  in  True 
Relative  Proportion 
to  the  Average. 
Name. 
Late  of 
Introduction. 
Raiser’s 
or 
Introducer's 
Name. 
Colour. 
1 
21-9 
28 
Rev.  J.  B.  M.  Camm . 
1873 
Keynes  . 
Yellow  and  red 
2 
16-7 
10 
Duchess  of  Albany . 
1884 
Turner  . 
Orange  and  crimson 
3 
15‘6 
12 
Mrs.  Saunders . 
1872 
Turner  . 
Yellow  and  white 
4 
13'2 
5 
Mrs.  John  Downie  . 
1889 
Turner  . 
Orange  and  scarlet 
5 
11-9 
9 
Matthew  Campbell . 
1889 
TCflynps  . 
Buff  and  crimson 
6 
11-8 
17 
Emin  Pasha . 
1894 
TCpynps  . 
Yellow,  striped  crimson 
Yellow,  striped  crimson 
7 
11-7 
5 
Goldsmith . 
1895 
Keynes  . 
8 
11-6 
12 
Dorothy . 
1888 
Keynes  . 
Fawn  and  maroon 
9 
10-3 
14 
Watchman  . 
1899 
Keynes  . 
Golden  yellow,  striped  crimson 
10 
10  2 
10 
Frank  Pearce  . 
1886 
Rawlings  . 
Rose,  striped  crimson 
11 
101 
3 
Buffalo  Bill . 
1890 
1890 
Buff,  striped  vermilion 
Lilac  and  maroon 
12 
9-6 
7 
T.  W.  Girdlestone  . 
Keynes  . 
13 
9-4 
14 
S.  Mortimer . 
1894 
Mortimer  . 
Rose,  striped  crimson 
14 
8-7 
5 
Peacock  . 
1877 
1891 
T’nrnpr . .  . 
Maroon  and  white 
15 
7-4 
7 
Dandy  .  . 
Keynes  . 
Orange,  striped  crimson 
16 
7-1 
5 
Rebecca . 
1883 
Keynes  . 
Lilac  and  crimson 
17 
6'0 
12 
Prince  Henry  . 
1887 
1892 
Fellowes  . 
Lilac,  striped  purple 
Orange  and  crimson 
18 
5-7 
i  2 
Comedian . 
Keynes  . 
19 
5-5 
,  9 
Comte  de  la  Saux  . 
1890 
Keynes  . 
Lilac,  striped  crimson 
20 
5-4 
2 
1  ■  ^ 
Hercules  . 
1877 
Keynes  . 
Yellow  and  crimson 
