224 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETr. 



CHRYSANTHEMUM SHOW. 

 November 14, 15, and 1G. 



The culmination of our Exhibitions for the year was the magni- 

 ficent Chrysanthemum Show, which occupied both halU for tinee 

 days in November. Tliis is probably the most complete and 

 finished exhibition we hold during the year, as it comes at a 

 time when there are no other flowers to vie with it in splendor or 

 varict}'. This flower has been constantly growing in favor, and 

 during the past two years it has made greater strides toward 

 elegance than any other floral product. Enthusiastic importers, 

 hybridizers, and growers are at present centring their energies ou 

 introducing or producing new and more beautiful forms, and how 

 well they have succeedt-d our late show has demonstrated. One 

 bad but to look at the sport of Nil Desperandum, sliown by our 

 President, Dr. Henry P. Walcott, to understand what is meant by 

 improvement. This flower is very large, cone shaped, with broad 

 incurved petals, laying over each other very gracefully. The color 

 is white, while way down in the centre ma}' be seen a faint lemon 

 tint, which gives the flower a luminous or phosphorescent appear- 

 ance. If one person produced only one such flower as this during 

 a, long lifetime, it would be glory enough, but our President la 

 constantly growing seedlings, some of which are exceedingly 

 beautiful — notably his F No. I, a large deep yellow, after the 

 style of the Jardin des Plantes F No. 87, a yellow Mrs. Wheeler; 

 E No. 103, a soft pink Mrs. Wheeler, and E No. 25, a deep 

 yellow Chinese, like Jardin des Plantes. 



Under the skillful cultivation given them b}' Edwin Fewkes & 

 Son, the collection of plants sent to Mrs. Alpheus Hardy, by 

 Neesima from iJai)an, is developing some wonderful flowers, some 

 of them far superior to any of the same forms now in the trade. 

 One, named William H. Lincoln, a very large yellow flower, when 

 fully expanded making half a globe, was so very fine that it 

 received the award of the Appleton Silver Medal. Another, 

 named Lillian B. Bird, a very large quilled varietv, full to the 

 centre, and of a shrimp pink in color, was very striking. Another, 

 named Kioto, was a very large Japanese variety, with incurved, 

 smooth petals, in form like Mrs. Alpheus Hardy, but larger and 

 more massive, of a luminous clear yellow color, almost indescrib- 

 able but very beautiful. 



