THEIR FLOWERS. 89 



in large and beautiful varieties, flourishing in 

 the highest state of perfection ? Yes, and equal to 

 (except in a few novel varieties, which have not 

 yet survived the voyage home) the boasted dis- 

 play in these wretched places, called "flower 

 gardens." 



A board at the entrance of one of them has 

 the following attractive notice painted upon it in 

 English : — " Aching has for sale, fruit trees, 

 flowering plants, and seeds of all kinds : 'Fa, tee 

 gardens, No. 2." The gardens merely contained 

 some varieties of the Chrysanthemum, small 

 trees of the Finger Citron, with that curious 

 fruit tied upon them to look as if they were 

 growing from the tree ; and a number of dwarf 

 orange trees of difl'erent varieties, laden with 

 green and ripe fruit. 



The Chinese procure the dwarf orange trees, 

 laden with fruit, by selecting a branch of a larger 

 tree upon which there may be a good supply of 

 fruit : the cuticle being detached from one part of 

 the branch, is plastered over with a mixture of 

 clay and straw, until roots are given out, when the 

 branch is cut off", planted in a pot, and thus 

 forms a dwarf tree laden with fruit. Other 

 means are adopted to give the trunk and bark 

 an appearance of age, and these, with the dwarf 

 bamboos and other trees, must certainly be re- 



