84 Chrysanthemum- Culture for America. 



It has been customary in those countries to .offer valuable 

 prizes for the best grown plants and cut blooms, which has 

 served to greatly stimulate the interest in this popular flower, 

 so that they are now the most attractive of all the flower exhi- 

 bitions, and thousands annually flock to see them with as much 

 enthusiasm as the Kentuckians exhibit for their state fairs or 

 race meetings. 



The Centenary chrysanthemum show was held in Edin- 

 burgh, Scotland, in 1889, the receipts at the door amounting 

 to $5,736 in three days. A grand Centenary Festival was 

 held in London in November, 1890, under the auspices of the 

 National Chrysanthemum Society of England. 



The people on this side of the Atlantic have now become 

 interested, and chrysanthemum shows have become as popu- 

 lar as in other countries. 



Whilst chrysanthemums were shown by the Massachusetts 

 Horticultural Society as early as 1830, it was not until the 

 year 1868 that the first exhibition distinctively styled a chrys- 

 anthemum show was held by this society. This was one of 

 the Saturday shows, from twelve o'clock M. to three P. M., 

 and so continuing until 1879, when it was held on Wednes- 

 day from twelve o'clock M. to ten P. M. In 1882 it was con- 

 tinued for two days, in 1886, for three days, and so continued 

 until 1889, when it was held four days. 



The exhibition in New York in 1882 is the first in that city 

 of which we can find any record. The plants were chiefly 

 from the gardens of Messrs. V. H. Hallock, Son & Thorpe, 

 of Queens, and Wm. C. Wilson, of Astoria. Several following 

 years large shows were held, at which many new varieties were 

 exhibited for the first time. The formation of the New Jersey 

 Floricultural Society, and its annual chrysanthemum exhibit 

 at Orange, has detracted somewhat from the New York shows 

 of late, as most of the plants exhibited in New York came 

 from that vicinity. Their first exhibition was held in Novem- 



