74 THE FLORIST. 



interest. Let us hope that nothing will prevent the cordial 

 co-operation of all those interested in the prosperity of flori- 

 culture. We congratulate the Society upon obtaining the 

 services of Edmund Foster, Esq. as its president, as well as 

 upon those of the other ofiicers whose names are already 

 published ; and we look with much interest for the result of 

 the meeting which is to be held before this is in the hands of 

 our readers, but a report of which we are unable to publish, 

 being obliged to go to press before the day. 



THE CHRYSANTHEMUM. 



The Chrysanthemum indicum was introduced into the gardens of 

 Europe about the year 1760, and a few years later C. sinense fol- 

 lowed it: these two, C. indicum yellow% and C. sinense rosy-purple, 

 form the type of all those beautiful varieties which adorn our gar- 

 dens and conservatories from October until the end of December ; 

 just at the time when scarcely any other flower is to be seen, and 

 none of such gay and varied colours. Like the Dahlia, it has been 

 so improved by the Florists of Europe as hardly to be recognised by 

 the gardeners of China ; and while the latter remain contented with 

 the original type and some ill-formed semi- double varieties from it, 

 we have obtained flowers of surpassing beauty, perfectly double, and 

 exhibiting almost every shade of colour ; and, what is of more im- 

 portance to an amateur, such a regularity of petals as nearly to ap- 

 proach perfection in form. We must not, however, be contented with 

 that ; we must aim at producing a perfect flower of different colours ; 

 the prize is before us, but not yet won ; for now that the Chrysan- 

 themum is admitted into the society of Florists' flowers, and claims 

 her days of public exhibition, her motto must be, *' Aide toi ; le del 

 f aider as. '^ The last exhibition at Stoke Newington must have as- 

 tonished those who visited it for the first time ; and even such as had 

 marked the annual progress of the shows were hardly prepared for 

 so great an improvement or so fine a display of stands and specimen 

 plants. The object of this notice, however, is not to enter into the 

 merits of the flowers then exhibited ; sufiice it to say, that Queen of 

 England, Goliath, Vesta, Duke, Annie Salter, Golden Cluster, Beauty, 

 Warden, Princess Marie, and Madame Poggi, were shewn in splendid 

 style ; some blooms of Queen of England measured more than six 

 inches in diameter. 



The Chrysanthemum Annie Salter, represented by your Plate, 

 was raised by my father at Versailles in 1843, and sent to England 

 in 1845 ; it is now in almost every collection, and has been perhaps 

 more extensively cultivated than any other variety. Its value as a 

 show-flower is admitted by all ; it was in every stand and collection 

 at the late exhibition ; and although its properties may not be alto- 

 gether in accordance with the standard laid down (not being incurved, 



