60 HARDY PERENNIALS AND 



much improved upon by their offspring. Not only are Japan 

 and China the homes of the finer flowering species, but in these 

 countries the Chrysanthemum has been esteemed and highly 

 cultivated for centuries ; in fact, such a favourite is this flower 

 with the Chinese, that they have treated it with many forms of 

 their well-known art in matters horticultural, and when the 

 flower was brought to this country it would doubtless be in a form 

 improved by them. It reached this country nearly 100 years 

 ago, and was known by the names C. indicum and C. sinense ; 

 about the same time a species from the East Indies was called 

 C. indicum. This flower, from the time of its introduction, has 

 been justly appreciated ; and by the skill of several cultivators 

 we have a largely increased number of forms and colours. Still, 

 there are certain distinctions kept up amongst the varieties, and 

 they are commonly known by such names as " large -flowering," 

 "pompon, or small-flowered," "early flowering," "anemone- 

 flowered," and " Japanese." These names, besides being some- 

 what descriptive, are otherwise useful to the amateur who may 

 wish to grow a representative collection, and where there is con- 

 venience it is desirable to do so in order to observe their widely 

 different forms and colours, as well as to enjoy a long succession 

 of bloom. 



So well is the Chrysanthemum known that little could be 

 usefully said of it by way of description ; but well as it is known 

 and easy as its culture is, there are few things in our gardens 

 that show to greater disadvantage. This should not be with a 

 subject which offers such range of habit, colour, and period of 

 blooming ; and when such is the case, there must be some radical 

 mistake made. The mistake I believe to be in the selection, and 

 that alone. If so, the remedy is an easy matter. Let me ask 

 the reader to remember three facts : (1) Many sorts grown in 

 pots and flowered under glass are unfitted for the borders or 

 open garden. (2) The later flowering varieties are of no use 

 whatever for outside bloom. (3) Of the early blooming section, 

 not only may the finest varieties be grown with marked effect, 

 but they, as a rule, are of more dwarf habit, and will afford 

 abundance of bloom for cutting purposes for nearly two months. 

 Selections are too often made from seeing the fine sorts in pots ; 

 let it be understood that all are perfectly hardy, but owing to 

 their lateness, their utility can only be realised under artificial 

 conditions. I am not now considering pot, but garden kinds, 

 and no matter what other rules may be observed, if this is 

 overlooked it will be found that though the plant may grow 

 finely and set buds in plenty, they will be so late as to perish in 

 their greenness by the early frosts ; on the other hand, of the 

 early section, some will begin to bloom in August, and others 

 later, each kind, after being covered with flowers for several 

 weeks, seeming to finish naturally with our season of flowers. 



