ClIAP. VI. 
FLOWERS. 
97 
any other of its tribe ; it produces its flowers and fruit 
in great abundance, and it would doubtless prove a plant 
of easy cultivation. There is also a plant, with red 
berries, which takes the place of our English holly. It 
is the Nandina domestica, and is called by the Chinese 
the "Tein-chok," or Sacred Bamboo. Large quantities 
of its branches are brought in at this time from the country 
and hawked about the streets. Each of these branches 
is crowned with a large bunch of red berries, not very 
unlike those of the common holly, and which, when con- 
trasted with the dark, shining leaves, are singularly orna- 
mental. It is used chiefly in the decoration of altars, not 
only in the temple, but also in private dwellings and in 
boats — for here every house and boat has its altar — and 
hence the name of " Sacred Bamboo which it bears. 
But the chrysanthemum is the Chinese gardeners 
favourite winter flower, although it is generally past its 
full beauty at the Chinese new year. There is no other 
plant with which he takes so much pains, or which he 
cultivates so well. His camellias, azaleas, and roses are 
well grown and well bloomed, but in all these we excel 
him in England ; in the cultivation of the chrysanthe- 
mum, however, he stands unrivalled. The plants them- 
selves seem, as it were, to meet him half way and grow 
just as he pleases ; sometimes I found them trained in 
the form of animals, such as horses and deer, and at 
other times they were made to resemble the pagodas, so 
common in the country. Whether they were trained 
into these fanciful forms, or merely grown as simple 
bushes, they were always in high health, full of fresh 
green leaves, and never failed to bloom most profusely. 
VOL. II. F 
