CIllJVSANTIlK.Mr.M.s. 83 



Rev. A. H. ^luzzey, said we were told that ^Ir. Thorpe had 

 devoted uiany years to the cultivation of the chrysantlu'inuiii ; we 

 expected, therefore, to learu from him a i>reat deal, and we had 

 not been disappointed. It had been shown tliat he had devoted 

 his attention and lalior to one flower; had thoroughly studied its 

 naturt'. its needs, and its capaliilities ; and in its treatment and 

 development he has been preeminently successful. In his showing 

 here today we see what can be done l)y taking such a course ia 

 an}' department of our work. If one would succeed in horticul- 

 ture, floriculture, or pomology, let him select some one object, fix 

 his mind on it, study it from every stand-point and master it. Let 

 it be in the spirit this man has shown today ; being fully informed, 

 he is ready to respond to all questions, on every point of his 

 subject. Should our members generally adopt this system, how- 

 ever well we have done in the past, we should in a few years 

 become a new Society. Let us always remember that patience is 

 genius, and persistency is success in any undertaking. 



George Hollis asked. Is the degeneracy of plants inherent in 

 them, or is it the result of the treatment they receive at the hands 

 of the grower? 



Mr. Thorpe replied that he believed all plants — just like 

 ourselves — have a natural period of existence, provided always 

 that they are surrounded b}' natural environments. The chrj'san- 

 themum is an herbaceous plant fulfilling- the purpose of its being 

 in one year's growth, and its constitution is generallj- not ouly 

 equal to its needs, but somewhat in excess. This enables us to 

 multiply plants by cuttings, a method which is simply an extension 

 of the life of the parent plant, and not a complete renewal of it as 

 in propagation by seeds. Plants not raised in America, and- 

 which are propagated here only by cuttings, must have alb the 

 weaknesses of the original stock, with a shorter prospective 

 existence. These remarks apply to plants that are to be used as 

 garden plants, — where no more artificial protection is given, tliaa 

 is provided for a geranium or other summer flowering plant. On 

 the other hand, in the raising of American seedlings for a given 

 purpose — as for instance, to produce a thoroughly reliable race- 

 of garden plants — we will suppose that at any time during May 

 five hundred seedlings are planted in the open ground and are 

 given fairly good cultivation. There will come a time when some 

 of these plants Avill begin to weaken, that is, they will make no 

 further progress, and as the trying summer lengthens many others 



