MARCH. 65 



CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 



(Plate 149). 



Here's a dainty dish, not to set before a king, but set by the 

 sovereign of all the Chrysanthemums before his good friend 

 the public. Carry your mind, my good reader (a fair one I 

 could never think of putting into such a predicament), 20 

 years back ; do you recollect the long thin-petalled semi- 

 double things that people used to call Chrysanthemums ; and 

 then put them along side of Golden Queen of England, and 

 you will doubtless say, "Is it possible that they can be the same 

 flowers?" And then those charming little Pompones and Hybrids 

 were unknown, while now, with some, they put the large 

 flowered varieties out of the field. In truth, it has become a 

 popular flower, and deservedly so ; it blooms late, gives us 

 colour and beauty when other flowers have done their work ; 

 and then it is everybody's flower; it will survive, nay luxuriate 

 in the smoke of London ; it adorns the poor man's garden, 

 and will even stand the coddling which too many flowers, alas ! 

 get from those fair ones, who " love them not wisely, but too 

 well." The consequence of this popularity has been their 

 great advance in every respect; and now, on every side, we 

 hear large encomiums on this very beautiful and accommodating 

 flower. To no one are the lovers of flowers so much indebted 

 as to Mr. Salter, for his continued care in bringing before the 

 public the best varieties — while, perhaps, Mr. Broome, of the 

 Temple Gardens, has most tended to popularise, by showing 

 people what may be done with them under the most dis- 

 advantageous circumstances. A great deal of bother and fuss 

 was made about the dressing of the flowers, and the distorting 

 of the plants, at the last autumnal shows ; with regard to the 

 first, the outcry is, I think, ridiculous ; for there is not a 

 florist's flower exhibited that does not undergo some dressing, 

 and as that is well known, who is wronged by it ? Certainly 

 not the exhibitor ; no, but the public. Well, but my good 

 public, if you want to grow these flowers, go to some respect- 

 able nurseryman — Mr. Salter, for instance; tell Mm what 

 flowers struck you, ask him if they are good, he will tell you 

 all about them, and rely on it will inform you that you must 

 not expect to equal the blooms you have seen, unless you 

 bestow a considerable amount of care, time, and expense, on 

 them. 



As to the one-stem system of growing, it has been indeed 

 pronounced " squat," " absurd," " vulgar," and " Chinese," 

 &c. ; but yet, after all, it is a matter of taste. Byron hated a 



VOL. XII., NO. CXXXV. F 



