blooming class of Roses, for I know they will give greater
satisfaction than anything else you can grow.

In fall, the plants can be taken up, packed away in boxes of earth, and
kept in the cellar over winter. Cut away almost the entire top when the
plants are lifted. All that one cares to carry through the winter is the
root of the plant.

THE DAHLIA

Thirty or forty years ago the Dahlia was one of our popular flowers.
That is, popular among those who aspired to "keep up with the times,"
and grow all the new plants that had real merit in them. At that time
but one form of it was considered worth growing, and that was the very
double, globular type of flower. The single varieties were looked upon
as worthless.

After a time the popularity of the flower waned for some reason hard to
account for, except on the theory that there are fashions in flowers as
in clothes. I presume that the true explanation is that we Americans are
prone to run to extremes, and when we take up a plant and it becomes a
favorite we overdo matters and tire of it because we see so much of it.
Then we relegate it to the background for a time, and after awhile we
drag it out of the obscurity to which we temporarily consigned it as a
penalty for its popularity, and straightway it comes into greater
prominence than ever, precisely as does the cut of a sleeve or the style
of hair-dressing. This explanation may not be very complimentary to
American good sense or taste, but I think it goes to the root of the
matter. It is sincerely to be hoped that the time will come when our
flower-growing will have no trace of the fad about it, and that whatever
we cultivate will grow into favor solely because of real merit, and that
its popularity will be permanent. I am encouraged to think that such may
be the case, for some of the favorite flowers of the day have held their
own against all newcomers for a considerable period, and seem to be
growing in favor every year. This is as it should be.

It used to be thought that the Dahlia could not be grown successfully at
the north if it were not started into growth in the house, or
greenhouse, very early in the season. Nine times out of ten the result
was a weak, spindling plant by the time it was safe to put it into the
ground--which was not until all danger from frost was over. Generally
such plants were not strong enough to bloom until about the time frost
came in fall, for it took them the greater part of