The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-11-13
THE DAHLIA FEVER.
Return to Fashion Of Flower Once
the Rage and Then Neglected.

An old-time popular flower which 6
once again becoming favorite among
the garden owners is the dahlia. A gen
Grafton or so ago this glorious fall flow
erlng plant was to be found in most gar
dens. but of late years it has been neg
lected, and only few scattered speci-
mems in old time cottage gardens here
and there served to keep the name from
oblivion.
In the last two or three years there
has been an awakening of curiosity in
the beauty Of this South American flower,
not merely for the sentiment of old as
sociations, but because it possesses pos
tive merits of its own such as are not
equaled by any other fall-howerin
plants of our gardens
The revival is led by many prominent
people, and in New York Theodore Have
meyer is the chief AT his home on Long
Island he may often be seen ainong the
plants. to which he attends personally.
In the Newport cottages the dahlia
fever has also appeared, while down in
Washington women back from Europe
are planning a dahlia garden. The
movement had it's start in Europe.
AS the flower reaches it's perfection
late in the year, being at it's best in those
rare days Of October so dear to all who
love outdoor life, it fills a place in the
closing picture of the garden that is
ever welcome.
1t is getting to be the proper thing for
those who spend the summer at their
country houses to stay away from the
city as long as possible. and so the ne
cessity for a rich color effect late in
the season comes to be- The dahliac APP
peals with force to all who love pure,
rich colors, while at the same time light.
delicate shades which go we'll with flesh
tints make the flower good for personal
adornment or for decoration.
1t comes in after most of the we'll
known favorites of the garden are past
their best or have become over-familiar:
and it is just in advance of the chrys-
anthemum, that harbinger of early win
ter.
Any one can grow the dahlia If he
will. 1t does not need greenhouse, only
few square feet of open ground where
the sun shines at least a part Of the
day. And it hardly wants watering. The
great secret is in not getting the roots
into the ground until the end Of June or
early in july.
At the present time roots now in the
ground can remain there until it is con-
venient to get them out, say any time
after frost cuts the tops and before the
ground is frozen hard. The lifted roots
are to be taken into a warm cellar just
as they are. with the dirt adhering and
left there through the winter and spring.
The storing of the root over winter is
the most delicate matter in the handling
of the plant. and over it many amateurs
come to grief. The roots must be kept
both dry and warm. -
The dahia is a native of the tropics of
America and will not stand frost. 1t
was introduced into cultivation by way
of Spain. whence it went to London and
Paris. This was in 1889, but it was not
grown as garden plant until later
than that.
All the thousands of different varieties
that have been seen since were derived
from the one original plant until in the
year 1872 new form came from Mexico
and gave rise to the cactus varieties.
These are distinguished by long and fan
tastically twisted petals. i
This newer type of the flower recalls
in it's grace and elegance the popular
Japanese chrysanthemum, and is respOp-
sible for the growing interest in Ythe
whole class. The French call it sHThe
DEVILS Star"
So far American raisers have not been
successful in getting flowers with twistel
petals. but they have made many with
fiat petals. These are called decorative.
Undoubtedly the most beautiful flowers
are those of the English raisers. The
Frenchmen give the largest. One of these
grown by MIR. Havemeyer and exhibited
by him at a recent New York show meas
ured all Of eight inches in diameter
New York Sun.
Many a family has laid away for oc-
casiOnal admiration Cd jswe.ry worn by