APRIL. 
97 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS RIFLEMAN AND PANDORA 
(Plate 175.) 
Are those Dahlias ?” was the question of one who shall he 
nameless, when I opened out the plate to view; with a half 
derisive laugh, I said, Oh, dear no,” and yet bethought 
myself, after all it was not such an absurd question; for, as 
far as size goes, they might very well he regarded as such; 
and an unpractised eye would hardly mark the difference of 
petal, which makes an incurved Chrysanthemum so very unlike 
a Dahlia; and very marvellous it certainly is, to see how every 
year seems to he increasing those properties which, in a florist’s 
eyes, stamp the value on a flower. As I have oftentimes said, 
and as Mr. Salter repeats again in his Catalogue this year, it 
is quite misleading to suppose that such blooms as those from 
which this drawing was taken are those that ordinarily are to 
he had in growing such kinds; they cannot he obtained hut 
by very careful management—by disbudding the plant, and 
watching it in all stages of its progress; in fact, taking all 
that trouble with it which only a grower for exhibition will 
care to do; for its capability for that purpose does not make 
such a variety equally desirable for those who only wish to see 
large masses of bloom, and well filled up flowers, not caring 
whether they ever appear on an exhibition table or not, exhi¬ 
bition flowers rarely blooming well enough for specimen plants. 
The Channel Islands have long been famous as a region 
specially favoured by Flora and Pomona; Guernsey Lilies are 
well known. I have heard that they were originally wrecked 
on its shores, forming part of a cargo from distant Cathay or 
Japan; that they were thrown into a heap as rubbish, but in 
the following spring the heap was all covered with bloom, and 
then Nerine sarniensis was well taken care of, but that all the 
care will not make it flourish in even the neighbouring island 
of Jersey; while every year tens of thousands are imported to 
this country, only to bloom for once, and then be thrown away. 
In the more favoured island of Jersey the melting Ohau- 
montel, Louise Bonne, and other Pears, acquire a flavour 
unknown here ; and all Flora’s productions flourish in pro¬ 
portion. To one of these islands (Jersey, I believe) the floral 
world is now indebted for the large proportion of the additions 
to new and excellent varieties of Chrysanthemum, Messrs. 
Smith and Clarke both living there; and a reference to Mr. 
^ Salter’s Catalogue will show how largely they contribute to 
them. Their cultivation there is materially aided by the 
nature of the climate; they mature their seed better than in 
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