LOWERS IN CALIFORNIA. 



97 



ten inches apart. Groups in pyramids and solid blocks 

 of various shapes are also in order, where lawns are of 

 sufficient extent to admit of elaborate floral decoration. 

 Although the chrysanthemum readily adapts itself to the 

 dry heat of our semi-tropic clime, it seems peculiarly 

 fitted to do battle with the vigorous climate of the east ; 



' ' For on winter's icy edge it sets its banner bold. 



With fragrance keen as myrrli, with colors clean and cold. 

 Its petals may be tipped with pink or touched with palest hue 

 Of yello >v-gold , or snowy white — their beauty smiles at you ; 

 And little recks it tho' the frost may chill the nipping air. 

 It came to see the curtain drop, this flower so debonair." 



One can understand why, coming like a benediction 

 upon the dying year, when all other flowers have faded, 

 this flower should be so prized in the frost-bound east, 

 but among our tropical blooms it was an alien, only wel- 

 comed when its merits became generally known. The 

 better to worship this new favorite, its devotees have 

 catalogued fully one thou- 

 sand varieties, a countless 

 array of every shade and 

 of every size, from the 

 tiny chrysanthemum, the 

 first-born of nature, to 

 the hundred-leaved 

 beauties culture hath 

 conceived ! 



In them the fleeting 

 hue of the sunset, the 

 evanescent gleam of the 

 snow-wreath and the 

 gold of the sunlight have 

 taken tangible shape. 

 There is Bartholdi, with 

 its large purple and 

 white petals; Mrs. 

 Alpheus Hardy, pure 

 white and many petaled ; 

 Gladiator, its blood-red 

 globes, the richer by con- 

 trast with the pale, 

 brownish-yellow petals 

 of Porcupine ; Mrs. J. 

 Laing, an imperial blos- 

 som, m color a rich, 

 Indian red; Superbi- 

 flora, in a dainty violet 

 and white dress; Presi- 

 dent Lincoln, a varie- 

 gated bronze ; Duke of 

 Berrick, in robes of 

 palest pink, and count- 

 less others of varied hues 

 whose name is legion. 

 But rival of them all, 

 rivaling the sunlight it- 

 self, the Yellow Eagle unfolds its golden blossom, per- 

 fect in its beauty. They form, indeed, a royal family, 

 these flowers of one line, exhibiting such wonderful 

 variety in size and color. 



From the Japanese, who have brought the chrysan- 



themum to its present state of perfection, much may 

 be learned regarding its successful cultivation. When 

 the plants are bedded in the spring, they grow luxuri- 

 antly but unevenly, some roots running out more rap- 

 idly in richer veins of soil. To thicken up and mat the 

 roots, cut with a sharp trowel all around each plant, 

 about three inches from the stalk. Repeat this opera- 

 tion frequently until a compact bunch of roots is 

 formed. When transplanted finally, the roots should 

 be compressed and the hole in which they are set filled 

 up with richest earth. Soon the roots commence to 

 reach out, when they are again cut back. The top of 

 the plants receive the same treatment, a single stump 

 or perhaps two or three stumps only being allowed to 

 grow. This process stores up the vital force__ in the 

 roots, to be thrown into a few perfect flowers. At the 

 proper time, branches are allowed to fork out from the 



Fig. 



Niagara. 



stalk ; these are tied to slender stakes and trained to the 

 required height. All buds are removed, save from those 

 points where a flower is desired, resulting in the develop- 

 ment of the remaining buds into large, perfect flowers. 

 The button chrysanthemums are allowed to develop 



