Ill 



NOVEMBER 

 THE CHRYSANTHEMUM 



The chrysanthemum is the crowning glory of the year. 

 The Japanese rightly regard it as the finest flower of all the 

 wildings that man has developed to perfection. Two thou- 

 sand years ago Confucius Wrote of the flower, and during 

 centuries the Chinese, and later the Japanese, worked to im- 

 prove by selection the little, yellow, single, daisy-like flower 

 from which the royal race has sprung. Even now some seeds 

 from any of the finest double chrysanthemums will produce 

 plants with flowers similar in form and color to the original 

 wild plant, which still thrives in fields of eastern Asia. It is 

 the chosen flower of Japan, appearing in the national coat- 

 of-arms and constantly in decorations. The most popular 

 festival of the year for the Sunrise Kingdom is Chrysanthe- 

 mum Day. 



The plant was introduced into Europe over a century ago, 

 and for eighty years gardeners there have been multiplying 

 varieties from selected seedlings. In America to-day many 

 gardeners count their 'mums, as they affectionately call these 

 flowers, among their chief delights. Florists grow the blos- 

 soms by the thousand under glass, usually pruning off all 

 branches and buds so that each plant may produce one con- 

 summate flower for sale in November. The chrysanthemum 

 exhibitions of the large horticultural societies are the closing 



73 



