AND HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



FLOWERS. 



I'iIMr Fessenden— In all ages and countries. Flowers 

 ve been universally cherished and admired as the orna- 

 E :nts and delight of the vegetable, as are their prototypes, 

 ;he animal kingdom. The fondest titles, the most ardent 

 pressions of attachment, and the lovely qualities of each, 

 e been reciprocally bestowed upon the preeminent of 

 ;h realms. The Rose of Sharon, the Violet, and the 

 ' ''' ly of the Valley, have become the consecrated em- 

 tms of female excellence ; while the rclined and en- 

 >• attributes of woman, furnish the names, or 

 re distinction, to those interesting favorites, who throng 

 ; brilliant court of Flora. 



We may ask, in the eloquent language of the enthusi- 

 ic BouRSAULT, " Who does not love Flowers ? They 

 btllish our gardens; they give a more brilli.,int lustre 

 3ur fcstiv.ils ; they are the interpreters of our atTeotions 

 our relatives and friends ; they are the testimonials of 

 • gratitude ; we present them to those to whom we are 

 der obligations; they are often necessary to the pomp of 

 r religious ceremonies, and they seem to associate and 

 j, ngle their perfumes, with the purity of our prayers, 

 ' il the homage which we address to the Almighty. — 

 appy are those who love them and cultivate them." 

 The ancients paid particular attention to the culture of 

 owers. They were in great request at the entcrtain- 

 ;nt3 of the wealthy, for adorning the apartments, as 

 II as the participants of the feast ; they were scattered 

 fore the triumphal chariots of victorious generals; they 

 placed upon the tombs of the illustrious and be- 

 ^ed, to perpetuate the pleasing, yet mournful remiuis- 

 nces of their virtues; they foimed the distinguishing 

 iignia of many of the divinities of mythology; they 

 tter as gems in the diadems of the seasons, and consti- 

 te the mystical language of poetry. 

 We are informed that Descartes prosecuted, with 

 ual ardor, astronomy and the culture of flowers, and 

 en retired from his celestial ob.servations, to study the ! 

 ep and floration of his plants, before the rising of the I 

 n. The great Conde, returning from the dangers and | 

 ories of the battle fiehl, devoted his leisure hours to 

 cultivation of his flower-garden ; and so enamored was ' 

 ord Bacon with these silent, yet eloquent and soothing 

 impanions, that the vase ol flowers was daily renewed 

 his table, while composing the volumes of his sub- 

 ne philosophy. 



In the cities of Europe, flower markets for the sale of 

 juquets and of ornamental plants, in all the stages of their 

 :owth, are as common as those for fruits and culinary 

 gelables. If in this New World, these delicate daugh- 

 rs of the sun have not received that zealous attention, 

 hich has ever marked the progress of civilization, it 

 ust be recollected, that the arts, sciences, and lileralure 

 e their cheering harbingers, and beneficent patrons ; 

 id that the same adverse circumstances, which have re- 

 rded their progress, have had an equally deleterious 

 fluence on all the r mbellishments of society. But, at 

 st, an increasing taste for floriculture, is rapidly ex- 

 uding throughout the land. Philadelphia and New 

 orkxan now boast of their maits of flowers, and it is 

 tnfidently believed, that Boston will soon aflbrd her 

 eekly exhibitions of native and exotic plants, to adorn 

 ,e saloons of the affluent, and the happy apartments of 

 ,e industrious. 



As some of the superb varieties of the Chinese Chry- 

 nthemums have been lately introduced into this coun- 

 y, and claim the eager and merited attention of the 

 nateurs and cultivators of flowers, the enclosed Extract 

 1 the mode of propagating them may be acceptable. 

 The numerous species of the Chrysanthemum, hithcito 



known, were natives of the Southern parts of Europe, 

 the northern coast of Africa, and the Levant ; and al- 

 though several of them were very generally admitted 

 into the parterres and borders of ornamented grotmds, and 

 to add variety among the plants of the green house, they 

 have been compelled to give precedence to the more 

 captivating charms of these oriental queens. 



The Chrysanthemum Indicum, or C/jmoise, is a na- 

 tive of China, where it is highly esteemed, and a great 

 many varieties have been produced. They employ it to 

 decoiate their houses and tables, on festive occasions, and 

 it is a favorite ornament of their furniture and porcelain. 

 But, although this magnificent plant has been long culti- 

 vated in the East, it was not brought to Europe till 1795, 

 when it flowered, for the first time, in the collection of 

 Mr CoLviLL, a nurseryman at Chelsea. 



It appears, that befors.JS28, only twentyseven varie- 

 ties were known in France, but the list has been recently 

 extended to foi tyfour, as three complete collections have 

 been procured in England, from the celebrated gardens 

 of Young, Colvill, andMxcKAY. 



The catalogue, at the close of the Extract, contains 

 all the kinds, except five, which have been introduced 

 into Europe. 



With assurances of respect. 



Your obedient servant. 



Brinley Place, \ H. A. S. DEARBORN. 



Feb. 17, 1830. ) 



EXTRACT SO. V. 



From the Annales D'Horticulture. 



On (he Chrysanthemums of China, by M. Le Clie- 



valier SouLANGE ISodin. 



The Clirysantlieiminis of China are tlie oina- 

 iiient of the green huiise, ami the grove ; they 

 produce a very beautiful efltct, when tliey are 

 trained against a wall, facing the south or east; 

 they then bloom sooner, and if the training is well 

 managed, this little espalier presents, in aiitiiniii,a 

 brilliant curtain of curiously intermingled colors. 

 Di.uposed with taste, in large baskets,* on the 

 lawns of a picturesque garden, they enliven the 

 autumnal scenery, and continue to display their 

 blossoms above the first flights of snow. It is 

 one of the plants which is most worthy of beiiig 

 introduced in great masses, in magnificent gardens; 

 and especially a little to the south and west of 

 Paris, where they can be easily multiplied. Slips 

 planted in sand readily strike root, and tliis may 

 be done at all seasons of the year. 



When the florists are enahleil to accelerate the 

 blooming of Chrysanthemums, they will derive a 

 great profit from them ; for they can then be used 

 in decor.iting the saloons during a part of the 

 year. We think, to insure success, instead of 

 placing them under simple frames, the interior of 

 which being always humid and obscure, disposes 

 the stalks to shoot up slender, it is better to put 

 them in a well aired, light, warm, and ilry green 

 house; but not to jilace them there until tlie 

 stalks have passed not only the herbaceous to the 

 suh-lignus istate, hut are actually furnished with ( 

 buds; we have made the experiment with the! 

 varieties, 13 and 14, — -Jlammeum and tubulosuml 

 j-oscjim, during the summer (if 1826. The stalks 

 of our plants were straight, vigorous, am! orna- 

 mented with a beautiful foliage ; the flowers were 



brilliant, perfectly developed, volnmiuous, and 

 much more elegant than in the open air; the 

 tints became more distinct and more delicate, and 

 the petals had acquired a greater transparency. 

 This experiment seems to point out the best pro- 

 cess to be followed, for forcing Chrysanthemums 

 with success. Besides, it is very near that which 

 has been adojited by the English gardeners ; — 

 they plant their slips in the month of August, 

 using the . lateral stalks of the plant, which are 

 placed under bell glasses, in a dry, but shady sit- 

 uation ; in about six weeks, they are put into 

 pots, and kept in a warm place until November, 

 and during the winter are jirotccted by glass 

 frames. In the month of April following, they 

 are removed into much larger pots, and the plants 

 remain all the summer in a warm and sheltered 

 situation. They are then often watered, and the 

 stalks are secured to supports. The flower buds 

 are well formed, towards the commencement of 

 October, when the plants are placed in temperate 

 green houses. There, as much air as possible is 

 given to them, when the weather will permit, but 

 they are protected by the glass from the wind, 

 rain and cold. 



The Chinese gardeners bestow still greater at- 

 tention to this cultme, and the cultivators of Lon- 

 don are beginning to imitate them. They place 

 their slips in the shade, as we do, bnt it is done 

 in the month of May ; they are put into very 

 small pots, and when well rooted, they are re- 

 moved to others of a larger size, in which they 

 are carefully cultivated until autumn. Besides 

 gaining a year by this process, the jilants are 

 covered with more abundant and greener leaves ; 

 they are shorter, better rooted, and in every re- 

 spect more pleasing. To increase the size of the 

 blossom, the buds are pinched off" as they ajipear, 

 leaving but five, or three, and often only one. 

 They also nourish tl'.eir plants with liquid manure, 

 and the blossoms thus acquire a corolla three in- 

 ches in diameter. 



When Chrysanthemums are cultivated in the 

 ground, either distant from, or near a wall, or in 

 conservatories, they should be renewed every two 

 years; otherwise their numerous suckers exhaust 

 them, and injure, very materially, the blossoms. 



* Small groups of flowers may be arranged on grass 

 plots, neady enclo-ed in wicker work frames, or baskets, 

 — or in circular beds, surrounded by cast-iron, made to 

 resemble ihe opfn edges of a basket and painted dark 

 graen. — Loudon's Enc. Gardening. 



