THE CHRYSANTHEMUM IN CHINA. Ill 



the pollen, the 6tigma either withers, or loses its viscidity — changes which may be 

 deferred for some days by preserving themx from contact with the anthers. This 

 well-known fact may be made available for the prolongation of the blossoming 

 period of most plants, for after fecundation, not only the stigma, but also the 

 entire flower, rapidly decays. 



It is generally supposed that in hybrid plants, the flowers and organs of repro- 

 duction partake of the characters of the female parent, while the foliage and habit 

 resemble those of the pollen-bearing plant. This is, however, by no means an 

 established law, for the plants raised from the same pod of seed, will often contain 

 individuals, some of which resemble the male plant, whilst others inherit the 

 leading features of the pistilliferous plant. Hybrid plants usually ripen seed, but 

 their offspring seldom continue fertile beyond the second or third generation, though 

 to this rule there are many exceptions. They may, however, be fertilized by the 

 pollen of one of the parents. 



The choice of subjects for hybridization, is obviously a matter for the exercise of 

 individual taste. Much has been done by the florist in improving some of our 

 cultivated plants, but an immense harvest remains to be gathered amongst our 

 hardy bulbs, shrubs, and perennials ; and every amateur florist may be assured 

 that it is fully within his power to originate, in each of these sections, new varieties 

 which would yield him both fame, pleasure and profit. To such of our readers as 

 may be induced to try their hand at this interesting art, we earnestly recommend 

 that a record of each experiment and its results should be kept. 



THE CHRYSANTHEMUM IN CHINA. 



' The Chrysanthemum is the Chinese gardener" s favourite winter flower, although it 

 is generally past its full beauty at the Chinese new year. There is no other plant 

 with which he takes so much pains, or which he cultivates so well. His Camellias, 

 Azaleas, and Eoses are well grown and well bloomed, but in all three we equal him 

 in England ; in the culture of the Chrysanthemum, however, he stands unrivalled. 

 The plants themselves seem to meet him halfway, and grow just as he pleases; 

 sometimes I found them trained in the form of horses and deer, and at other times 

 they were made to resemble the pagodas so common in the country. Whether they 

 were trained into these fanciful forms, or merely grown as simple bushes, they were 

 always in high health, full of fresh green leaves, and never failed to bloom most 

 profusely in the autumn and winter. 



' The method of cultivating the Chrysanthemum in China is as follows : — Cuttings 

 are struck every year from the young shoots, in the same manner as in England. 



