154 CULTIVATION OF CHRYSANTHEMUMS. [Cuap. IX. 
alba, pheenicea, lateritia, variegata, and the yellow 
Azalea sinensis. I may mention in passing, that I 
found the latter plant wild on the Ning-po hills, so 
that there is no doubt of its being a genuine Chinese 
species. The air at this season around Fa-tee is 
perfumed with the sweet flowers of Olea fragrans, 
and the Magnolia fuscata, both of which are grown 
extensively in these gardens. Dwarf trees, as may 
be supposed, occupy a principal station ; they are 
trained into the most grotesque and curious forms. 
The plants which stand next to dwarf trees in 
importance with the Chinese are certainly chrysan- 
themums, which they manage extremely well, per- 
haps better than they do any other plant. So high 
do these plants stand in the favour of the Chinese 
gardener, that he will cultivate them extensively, 
even against the wishes of his employer ; and, in 
many instances, rather leave his situation than give 
up the growth of his favourite flower. I was told 
that the late Mr. Beale used to say that he grew 
chrysanthemums in his garden for no other purpose 
than to please his gardener, not having any taste 
for this particular flower himself. 
Tree pxonies are not natives of the south of 
China, but are brought down in large quantities 
every year, about the month of January, from the 
northern provinces. They flower soon after they 
arrive, and are rapidly bought up by the Chinese 
to ornament their houses, after which they are 
thrown away, as they do not thrive well so far 
south as Canton or Macao, and will not flower a 
