THE POPULAR DAHLIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20538, 12 April 1930, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE POPULAR DAHLIA.

BAPIDLY-GROWING list.

Dahlia exhibits havo been the leading feature of the various horticultural exhibitions and also of displays in many florists' windows throughout the p°minion during the present autumn. _ They have attracted the greatest admiration at •ho wonderful displays, and marvellously distinct and beautiful combinations and exquisite shades in their colours. Admirers and intending planters for another year have had every opportunity of seeing the different kinds and listing for future guidance. The marvellous developments and improvements in dahlias necessitato an annual revision of the lists as each year produces a large batch of new seedlings with distinct characteristics in size, colour, shape of tho flowers, their profuseness and tho manner in which they nre borne. The preference is given .to those whose flowers are borne well above the" foliage, on , long, stiff, stout, erect gtems, thi3 being a special feature of the selected varieties comprising all classes belonging to the decorative sections, and other new creations that liavo revolutionised the dahlia world, and aro referred to as modern dahlias. Tho giant decoratives, in many of the most recent productions, have exceeded the limit in size and coarseness of petals and may best be described as liugo monstrosities. Judging from numerous comments the medium sized decoratives aro likely to be the most favoured, especially by the ladies, tlie leaders of fashion, and thoso most capable of guiding the general planters in their choice of varieties.

DECORATIVE DAHLIAS. Decorative dahlias in all sections, with ilio almost innumerably named varieties belonging to each, liavo for tho time being revolutionised the dahlia world, displacing in a mcasuro in popularity the cactus and other sections. _ For the amateur the number of varieties is most bewildering. Those insufficiently acquainted with the numerous varieties as listed in the most up-to-date catalogues, may be assisted by a list of named kinds. -All aro of special merit and should give every satisfaction under ordinary cultivation.

GIANT DECORATIVE SECTION. The following names in the giant decora2Sv& section comp'riso an up-to-date collection, all of which carry their flowers rrcct on long, wire-like, stiff sterns: — A 1 Koran, golden rod and amber waved petals; Ellinor Vajiderveer, satiny rose pink of great substance; Eleanor Martin, mulberry suffused gold, elegant; Flaming Meteor, flaming orange scarlet, superb; I'red Lau, copper roso, silvery reverse, curled petals; Golden Sonne, bright golden yellow; King Tuk, deep rich crimson maroon, a magnificent specimen; Marjorie Hennesey, amber, heavily suffused roso: Lady Stonehaven, golden petals, broad and cnrled; Miss California, new colour, known as oriental fuchsia; Norah Phillips, brilliant orange scarlet, very showy; Salbaach's White, large ivory whito of perfect form, splendid; Solo Mio, rich deep yellow, immense size; Shoba, brilliant rose lake, distinct; Sidney B. Mitcholl, rich velvety red, almost black; The Grizzley, richest velvety red.

SPECIAL MERIT VARIETIES. ■ Tho 1928 and earlier varieties of special merit include:—Amun Ra (Tho Sun Csod), copper, overlaid with gold; Champagne, rich cream, suffused jasper red; Cigarette, scarlet tipped white, very showy; Frankfort, beautiful glowing amber; Jersey Beauty, lovely rich salmon pink; Henry B. May, yellow and whito tipped pink; Mabel Lawerence, crimson scarlet, one of (lie grandest of all; Noble, scarlet, overlaid orange, tipped white; Insulinde; a tawny old gold, a most popular variety; Rookwood, puro bright cerise roso; Shiela Ward, yellow, heavily tipped white, splendid; Shudow's Lavender, pale lavender, very distinct; Tommy Atkins, flaming red, brightest of all; W. J). Cartwright, deep orange yellow at the tips; Berengaria, clean orange to yellow.

GARDEN DECORATIVE SECTION. Garden decorative varieties are ideal for cutting and gardens. Varieties include:— Glory of Lisso, beautiful orango shaded brown; Hail Columbia, dark lilac rose; •Murillo, one nf tho best pinks; Orange Boven, a pleasing shade of deep orange: -Princess Pat, beautiful old rose; Protest, *&lf salmon coii.se; Kapallo, dark velvety crimson, gold edged, unique; Remembrance, lihr; rnauvc, splendid for cutting; Salutation, velvety red on perfect stems.

BEDDING VARIETIES. Redding dahlias include : Orrnond Pink, Wiich is quite, unique, being a miniature decorative dahlia of compact dwarf habit r 'f growth and producing the greatest profusion of peach-pink flowers. It needs disbudding, flowers on long sterns, it is an invaluable variety for cutting for various floral arrangements and is a general favourite.

VEGETABLE PROPS

FOOD FOR THE SOIL.

Another woek and still tho ground is too dry for sowing or planting with any decree of success until a good rain is experienced. For breaking up new land required for cropping, however, or plots from which spent crops have beer, taken fonrlilions are all that could ho desired. Soils that have become at all impoverished by successive cropping should bo well manured, deeply dug, or trenched. If stable or other animal manures are not obtainable an effort should be made to rt p'enish- tho soil with vegetable matter, -this may in a great, measure be accomplished by so arranging Iho crops that good portion of tho ground can ho sown in green crops eaiHi autumn ready f°r turning under and providing tho with humus for spring and summer Wops. j