CHAPTER "XVI 



Chrysanthemums for the South and West 



There is probably a large and promising field for 

 Chrysanthemum culture South and West in a latitude 

 where there is no danger of frost to militate against the 

 development of the flowers. The differences in climatic 

 conditions and environment, however, give rise to cul- 

 tural problems that must be met and solved. It would 

 almost appear that there is a necessity of originating 

 varieties to meet the conditions. This should not be 

 an impossible task, especially when we regard the 

 amazing development and improvement of the Chrysan- 

 themum as it is today in Europe and America as com- 

 pared with the primitive types originally brought from 

 and still cultivated in the Orient, the land of its birth. 

 It can hardly be assumed that we have reached the limit 

 or exhausted the possibilities of the flower. The follow- 

 ing extracts from a paper contributed to and read at 

 the meeting of the Chrysanthemum Society of America 

 at Chicago, in November, 1903, by Mr. F. P. Davis of 

 Mobile, Alabama, shows the needs of the latitude in 

 which he resides and are suggestive of means whereby 

 we may still further extend the culture of Chrysan- 

 themums. Australian and New Zealand growers have 

 achieved wonders within the last decade. Intelligent 

 effort, combined with a knowledge of the necessities, 

 would, in all probability, be eventually rewarded by the 

 creation of a class of Chrysanthemums especially 

 adapted to the South, as already one or two varieties 

 afford evidence of the possibility. 



