FLORICULTURE. 253 



themum show is already one of the minor events of the year. At last it has 

 reached Minnesota, and Minneapolis as usual led the van in the celebra- 

 tion last November. It was remarkably attractive in the great range, 

 variety and wonderfully developed beauty of the many styles exhibited. 

 We were all surprised; not one in a hundred of the visitors had any idea 

 that such a pleasure awaited them in the two halls where the flowers 

 were exhibited. The florists and gardeners are fully up to the importance 

 of producing new varieties of their own for our Minnesota citizens. It is 

 one of the wonders of the chrysanthemum that the plant is susceptible 

 of such an almost endless development of form and color; new kinds are 

 brought out constantly. There seems to be no end to its possibilities. 

 As yet but one or two of so-called fragrant varieties have been produced; 

 the realm of sweet odors is one into which the enterprising developers of 

 these showy flowers have not yet succeeded to any marked degree in lead- 

 ing them. But that domain, too, is no doubt erelong to be conquered and 

 made to yield its attractions to the chrysanthemum, as already done by 

 the world of colors. 



In this latter field little apparently remains to be achieved. With the 

 exception of bright blue and clear scarlet, we recall no hue or shade of 

 color in all the great chromatic scale, that it has not required. When 

 these colors shall have been obtained, and a varied fragrance added to the 

 charms of the many kinds, what more can be desired for this superb 

 flower of autumn? 



Which is the most attractive flower — the rose — queen of flowers, and 

 full of all sweetness; or the big curled and tangled blossoms of the chrys- 

 anthemum, in their rich, deep gold, their velvety red, their many shades 

 of pink and all the other hues — not excepting what is perhaps the most 

 charming of all — the rich, pure virgin white. The queenly rose, though 

 she lasts only a day or two at her best, while the chrysanthemum lasts 

 two or three weeks, will nevertheless doubtless remain the favorite flower; 

 for her beauty and sweetness combined, she can never be dethroned; but 

 the chrysanthemum makes a far greater variety of fine colors. There 

 was at the Minneapolis exhibition a perfect blaze of gaudy hues, in all 

 wonderful contrasting effects. The rose imparts her glory, says Prof. 

 Chamberlain, to the month of June, but the chrysanthemum in almost 

 endless variety and matchless beauty crowns the year with its wealth of 

 bloom. In its delicacy of color, its wonderful diversity of form, and its 

 exuberance of blossoms, it has no rival. Neither the frosts of autumn, 

 nor the threatening storms of winter can do more than to heighten the 

 contrast it presents with all of its surroundings. The rose has long since 

 faded, the lily, the aster and their hundred companions, have fulfilled 

 their annual mission. At the dreary season of decay, when all nature 

 besides is waiting for the coming of winter, the chrysanthemum bursts 

 forth from its seeming lifelessness, and ushers in the coronation of the 

 year. No other flower is left to dispute its supremacy or share our admira- 

 tion. They are autumn's latests and richest gifts. When field and gar- 

 den are in the faded leaf, and in all the uncleanly disarray of the ruin by 

 frost, the chrysanthemum is left for the pleasure of mankind. 



