hem have
enthusiastic champions, and the best thing to do is to try them all.

"Show" Dahlias are those with large and very double flowers of a single
color, and those in which the ground color is of a lighter shade than
the edges or tips of the petals. The outer petals recurve, as the flower
develops, until they meet at the stem, thus giving us a ball-like
blossom.

"Fancy" Dahlias are those having striped petals, and those in which the
ground color is darker than the edges or tips of the petals. This class,
as a rule, is very variable, and a plant will often have flowers showing
but one color. Sometimes half the flower will be one color, half
another.

The Pompone or Liliputian class is a miniature edition of the show and
fancy sorts, quite as rich in color and perfect in form as either, but
of a dwarf habit of growth. This class is well adapted to bedding out in
summer.

The Cactus Dahlia has long pointed or twisted petals. Most varieties are
single, but some are semi-double. This is the class that will be likely
to find favor with those who admire the ragged Japanese Chrysanthemums.

Decorative Dahlias have broad, flat petals, somewhat loosely arranged,
and much less formal than those of the show, fancy, or pompone sorts.
Their flowers seldom have more than two rows of petals, and are flat,
showing a yellow disc at the centre. As a general thing they are
produced on long stalk, a flower to a stalk. This makes them very useful
for cutting. They are the most graceful members of the entire Dahlia
family, allowing me to be judge.

The single type has but one row of petals. Plants of this class are very
strong growers, and can be used to advantage in the back rows of the
border.

No flower in cultivation to-day has a wider range of color than the
Dahlia, and nearly all the colors represented in it are wonderfully rich
in tone. From the purest white to the richest crimson, the deepest
scarlet, delicate pink and carmine, rich yellow, dark purple, orange and
palest primrose,--surely all tastes can find something to please them.

THE GLADIOLUS

One of the most popular flowers of the day is the Gladiolus. All things
considered, it is our best summer bloomer. Nothing in the floral world
exceeds it in variety and range of color. This color is in some
varieties dark and rich in scarlets, crimsons, and purples, in others
dainty and delicate in pink, pearly flesh, almost pure white, and
softest rose, while the