THE CHRYSANTHEMUM. 77 



which he considered an ini)i'Ovement on Mrs. C. H. Wheeler. 

 The color of that variety is somewhat dead, but this seedling was 

 of an intense crimson, equallj'^ large and much more brilliant. 



Charles M. Hovey said that he was very successful in raising 

 chrj'santhemums when no one else knew anything about them. In 

 1832 the prize for the best display was awarded to him by this So- 

 ciety. The chrysanthemum and camellia were then his pets. 

 The London Horticultural Society took an unusual interest in the 

 chrysanthemum, and in 1821 sent Mr. John Damper Parks to 

 China to search for these and other plants, and spent a large sum 

 of money in delineating and introducing them. Fifty years ago 

 the speaker possessed sixty varieties which he had imported ; they 

 were good kinds and beautiful plants, such as the public want 

 today, but it did not then take as a popular plant. Exhibition 

 flowers are not adapted to general purposes. He cultivated them 

 verj' much as Mr. Fewkes had directed, and had nothing else in 

 the house. He had " tasselled " varieties which were very much 

 admired ; and he has continued to import the best varieties. 



Their cultivation is easy in little plants two feet high. Plants 

 cannot be expected to flower perpetually. He propagated by 

 layers, turning out the plants and making t.ic layers in June in 

 five or six inch pots. They did not form exhibition plants, but 

 very pretty ones for home decoration. He recommended this 

 method to those who only wished to grow a few plants for that 

 purpose. Neither the rose nor any other flower requires such un- 

 remitting attention as the chrysanthemum, to secu?e exhibition 

 plants. He thought that he pinched too late. If the early kinds 

 were planted in the open air they would afford much gratification. 

 He had seen them in Newton blooming every year ; if slightly 

 covered with straw they will live through the winter in the open 

 ground and bloom the second year. One year he kept his whole 

 stock over. The chrysanthemum is really a cool house plant ; 

 too much heat brings the ai>his. Division of the roots in May 

 will give as good plants for parlor decoration as any way. He 

 has divided plants of new kinds and saved them. He hoped the 

 increased premiums would bring better exhibitions. The chrys- 

 anthemum was raised in quantities by Robert Buist of Philadelphia, 

 and by others forty years ago. 



W. C. Strong asked whether the late flowering of Le Surprenant, 

 exhibited by the essayist, was due to the variety- or to the cultiva- 

 tion . 



