74 THE FLORIST. 



POMPON CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 



In offering a few remarks on this lovely class of autumnal flowers, I 

 shall first endeavour to solve a brief article which appeared in last 

 Number, headed " A Chrysanthemum Puzzle," which certainly, from 

 the complicated and totally different descriptions of one particular 

 variety referred to, would very much embarrass an amateur, and lead 

 him to suppose that several sorts were being called by the same 

 name ; any light, therefore, that can be thrown upon such a subject 

 must be of service to the interests of Floriculture. 



The variety in question is named " Sacramento," and was figured 

 in the Magazine of Botany for January as a yellow flower, with very 

 full reflexed petals. This drawing was taken at the nursery of Messrs. 

 E. G. Henderson and Son, Wellington Road, St. John's Wood, and 

 appears to represent its proper character, although later in the season, 

 and as the flowers were more advanced, I remarked in some a lack 

 of petals in the centre, and a few of the last blossoms appeared quite 

 like an Anemone-flowered variety. I also saw it at Mr. Salter's, an- 

 swering to this description, and was informed, that from the com- 

 mencement of the plants coming into blossom it had the appearance 

 of belonging to the Anemone-flowered section ; but I must say, that 

 the greater number of plants I saw last season had too many petals 

 in the majority of the blossoms to appertain to this class. As respects 

 its being figured in the Greenhouse and Garden for February, as an 

 Anemone-flowered variety, with bright-red guard-petals, and a dull 

 yellow centre, I have only to say, that I saw it at one of the Chry- 

 santhemum shows very much answering this description, or perhaps 

 more of a dull brownish colour ; but the flower was then going off 

 and changing colour, and it must have been from a flower something 

 like this that the last-mentioned drawing was prepared. One thing is 

 certain, that Chrysanthemums, like many other flowers under different 

 circumstances and treatment, assume very dissimilar colours, espe- 

 cially as they have naturally a tendency to materially change their 

 hues as the blossom expands, and after it is fully open. To elucidate 

 this, I may mention, that a pure white Pompon, named " Argentine," 

 changes to a beautiful blush ; clearly shewing that it is rather difli- 

 cult to describe the colours of some varieties. I have no hesitation in 

 sajnng, that " Sacramento" is one of the best yellows, and however 

 grown, or in whatever stage the blossom may be, this variety can 

 always be distinguished by its beautiful reflexed and well-formed petal. 



This class of Chrysanthemums is commonly designated " Lillipu- 

 tians ;" a term appropriately applied, for it embodies the diminutive 

 blossoms with the dwarf and compact habit of the plants. They are 

 also frequently called "Chinese;" which would be as fitly given to 

 the larger-flowering kinds; for the Pompons now cultivated were not 

 imported from China, but are descendants of a variety introduced in 

 1846 by Mr. Fortune, and generally known as the Chusan Daisy. 

 This new acquisition being communicated to our continental neigh- 

 bours, they immediately set about hybridising it with the Pompon 

 variety, which they previously possessed; and from its being a single. 



