47 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
(Read Nov. 1.5th, 1898, by Mr. .1. RICHES.) 
The chrysanthemum of all Rowers is that which has been said to 
represent cheerfulness under adversity, and may fairly he called the 
Queen of Autumn. Six varieties were described by Breynius as being 
cultivated in Holland two centuries ago. Originally introduced into 
England from the Celestial Empire, in 1754, it seems to have first been 
cultivated at Chelsea by a gardener named IMillar, hut was soon after 
lost by some unfortunate accident, and was again introduced by way 
of Marseilles, in 17B9. It reached London in 179-5, the first chry,san- 
themum that ever flowered in England blooming in a nursery garden 
at King’s Road, Chelsea, the plant having been ol)tained originally from 
M. Cels, a nurseryman of Paris. At this time, and for some little time 
after, botanists had a contest as to its Irotanical position. Some con¬ 
tended that it was one of the camomiles {Anthcmis), whilst others 
decided that it was unmistakably a J’nretliniin or feverfew. But at 
last it was decided that it should be called “ Chrysanthemum,” from 
“ chrysos,” gold or golden, and “ anthos,” a Rower. In 1808, their 
cultivation had increased to some nine or ten varieties, many being col¬ 
lected in China and Bengal for the Horticultural Society by Mr. Parkes 
in 1821. At the end of 1825 the numbers had increased to 4S, and in 
1826, Sabine, Secretary to the Horticultural Society, writes cheerily 
concerning their rapid progress and of an astounding large exhibition 
of them held in the Society’s Gardens at Chiswick, at which were shown 
over 700 plants in pots. Mr. Cannell tells us that the first public 
chrysanthemum show in England was held at Norwich in the vear 
1830. 
As to the origin of the pompon, in 1845 a Mr. Rob. Fortune, who 
was sent to China in 1842 by the Royal Horticultural Society, brought 
home with him from Chusan (an island on the east coast of China) a 
small double reddish or light brown chrysanthemum, which was called 
the Chusan daisy. The Horticultural Society propagated it and sent 
it out amongst its members. From some of those members it was 
sent to Lebois, an enthusiast in chrysanthemum growing in Paris. 
He saved seed the same autumn, the climate of France being favourable 
for ripening seed, and from this seed he raised a great many varieties 
which soon got into the hands of Mr. Salter, who did more to 
popularise the chrysanthemum in England than any other man. They 
were not called pompons until the French got hold of them in 1845 
and 1846. In 1846 a new era commenced in the history of the chrys¬ 
anthemum, for at that time i\Ir. Fortune brought from China two 
small flowering varieties, the Chusan daisy just mentioned, and the 
Chinese C. miniiinnii. Although Mr. Fortune admired them in Chusan, 
they were considered too small and insignificant for English tastes. 
French opinion of them was far different, for, immediately upon their in¬ 
troduction, in 1847, into the already well-known collection at Versailles 
the little Chusan daisy became a favourite. From those two varieties 
have sprung all the pompons now in cultivation, the French growers 
giving them the name “ pompon ” from the resemblance of the flower 
