The 1895 Chrysanthemums. 265 



petals is unpopular in this country. The guard petals of exhibi- 

 tion carnations in England used to be pasted down on cardboards. 

 There are perfectly estimable people who still take pleasure in 

 the stiffest incurved chrysanthemums. Indeed, it is the wonder 

 and the glory of the chrysanthemum that it can be varied to suit 

 all tastes. This variability is a thing inherent and essential. It 

 is the peculiar genius of the composites. Asters have it, dahlias 

 have it, and chrysanthemums most of all. It is capable of reflect- 

 ing the fleeting frivolities and fashions of the age as well as cer- 

 tain deeper and dearer things. Chrysanthemums can be formal 

 as well as fanciful, but we have plenty of other formal flowers. 

 Incurved chrysanthemums were popular in a hoop-skirt age, but 

 the Japanese are truly -fin de Steele. They are informal, fanciful, 

 quaint, odd, individual, and, therefore, a more complete expres- 

 sion of the times than single, incurved, anemone or pompon- 

 flowered sections. 



Descriptions of the florets (Mr. Miller). — The greatest confusion 

 exists in commercial catalogues as to descriptive terms for chrys- 

 anthemums. For example, the word " recurved " is used by 

 some dealers to mean twice curved or doubly curved, i. e., the sec- 

 ond curve being in a direction opposite to that of the first. (See 

 No. 3 in the plate illustrating different types of florets, Fig. 88.) 

 Botanists, however, use " recurved " to mean a single curve of 

 greater extent that that expressed by " reflexed." Descriptive 

 catalogues are hard to write and harder still to order from. Illus- 

 trations are preferable in this day of cheap mechanical processes 

 of engraving. A " half-tone " gives one an idea of the bloom 

 which no words can convey. Sometimes, however, the individu- 

 ality of the floret needs special notice, and it is often impossible 

 to tell from the loose description of florists whether they are 

 describing the blossom or the floret. Illustrations are needed to 

 give general effect, and botanical terms to describe particular 

 effects. No descriptions can convey the idea of the form, com- 

 pactness or looseness, regularity or irregularity of the blossom so 

 well as a picture does. The floret, however, can sometimes be 

 described by words that are helpful to the imagination. " Os- 

 trich plume " is a fanciful and attractive name, but it has no 

 place in botany. " Hairy " is the proper term. A head of florets 



