CHAPTER XIX. 
Novelties and Humbugs in Floriculture. 
(7 Rk. Pp. T. BARNUM, of cireus fame, “the greatest on 
=== earth,” once made the assertion that the American 
people liked to be humbugged. Disagreeable as this dose 
may be to swallow, it is not devoid of truth. In Mr. 
Barnum’s veteran experience as a showman he found 
annually a desire for novelty among the millions he 
amused that it was difficult to supply. So eager were 
the masses for some sterling novelty, and so great the 
craze for curiosities, that, in their enthusiasm, they would 
accept all kinds of shams and delusions with apparent 
relish. Although the field of Mr. Barnum is widely 
separated from Floriculture, the florist, the seedsman, 
and the nurseryman in the United States at the present 
day find a similar desire among their patrons each year 
for something new and before unheard of with merits 
unequalled and of inestimable value. If such a thing is 
offered with a great fiourish of trumpets it is readily 
gobbled up at a good price. Some will buy it because 
they have faith it is all that it is represented to be, and 
get it for its real value; others will buy in hopes to have 
something finer than their neighbor, while others will 
buy it who have no faith in it, but just because it is 
popular will get a few so that they can say to their 
friends they ‘‘ have a half dozen of them down at the 
house,’’ and give their opinion upon it. We ean only 
