100 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
October 17, 1891. 
CHRYSANTHEMUM 
PROSPECTS. 
A Coming Feature of the Chrysanthemum. 
Referring back to the early autumn show of the 
National Chrysanthemum Society of a few years ago, 
surprise was expressed by some that several of the 
large-flowering Japanese Chrysanthemums, which 
are usually expected to flower with the rest in No¬ 
vember, should be fit to take a place in competitive 
groups along with early-flowering Pompons, and 
such of the summer-flowering kinds as Madame 
Desgranges and G. Wermig in the second week of 
September. Mons. Freeman and William Holmes 
were amongst the kinds that created surprise on the 
particular occasion referred to; but even in such a 
late and unfavourable season as the past has been, it 
was shown to be possible to have a considerable 
number of the old Japanese types in flower by the 
gth of September. This was illustrated by flower¬ 
ing plants of Mons. Freeman, W. H. Lincoln, Etoile 
de Lyon, Baronne de Prailly, and others of more 
recent date, such as Annie Clibran, Madame Leon 
Collin, Marvel, &c. 
including the typical as well as the incurved and re¬ 
flexed groups. Their utility will become more and 
more apparent when it gets known that they may be 
used for cut flowers, as decorative plants for the con¬ 
servatory to fill up the gap between the summer 
flowering subjects and the November Chrysan¬ 
themums, for commercial purposes, and above all for 
culture by amateurs who have not the convenience 
of glass structures to shelter the late-flowering kinds, 
and bring them to a successful issue. Herein lies an 
issue a-t stake which Chrysanthemum societies would 
do well to foster and encourage by arranging for 
exhibitions to be held in September, say the third or 
fourth week. A large number of the new kinds may 
be had in flower in the open air by that time, and 
there can be little question that an impetus would be 
given to a new departure, and that the special stands 
would be filled with something more than Madame 
Desgranges and its yellow sports, to wit G. Wermig, 
Mrs. Hawkins and Mrs. Burrell, which everybody 
expects, but more particularly the two first-named. 
Should it be urged that the older societies already 
have their hands quite full, and that additional shows 
would tax their resources and burden their exchequer, 
paid as a tribute blue, yellow, red, white and black 
coloured Chrysanthemums to the Emperor Nintoku. 
In the year 797, the Emperor Kammu made a posm 
on the subject of the flower, and in the years 889, 
901 and 947 respectively, emperors of the time held 
great festivals with their subjects in favour of 
Chrysanthemums. From these data we know that 
Chrysanthemums have been cultivated widely and 
favoured by us from 1504 years ago. 
During about 823 years (from 889 to 1712) they were 
cultivated popularly, and in the latter part of the 
period a book on Chrysanthemum culture, entitled 
“ Nochi-no-Hana," was published; but the most 
flourishing period of kiku (Chrysanthemum) culture 
seems to have been the middle part of the 18th century. 
The kinds cultivated since the year 386 are roughly 
divided into three sorts, according to the size and form 
of the flowers. They are as follows ; (1) Sho-kiku. 
or middle sized flowers, have been popularly favoured 
and cultivated from very old times ; (2) O-kiku, or 
large sized flowers, have prevailed since the year 
1704 ; (3) Ivo-giku, or small sized flowers, became 
popular about 1716. No. 1, or Sho-kiku, again pre¬ 
vailed at about the year 1751. 
T. H. ELLIS. 
C, H. SHARMAN. 
AINSWORTH. C. HURST. 
S. N. SAMPSON. M. YOUNG. 
C, H. SHARMAN, Junr. 
POLLARD. 
R. POLLARD. 
C. PEARSON, 
PUGH. T. PARR, 
K. YOUNG, 
R. CANNELL. 
Most of the above would appear in the ordinary 
course of cultivation at the November exhibitions; 
and it is pretty well known amongst a section of cul¬ 
tivators that the flowering of late varieties at that 
date is simply the result of a certain mode of treat¬ 
ment. Beginners, especially amateurs, who take 
for granted that the above will flower early in Sep¬ 
tember under similar conditions to that accorded 
November flowering sorts are liable to be disap¬ 
pointed should they undertake their culture from 
that point of view. The cutting back system is 
adopted early in summer, and the first bud, that is 
the “crown bud " of cultivators, that appears is en¬ 
couraged to develop by the disbudding or pinching 
out of the side shoots. Of course there are kinds that 
would turn out very poor, even if they responded to 
this treatment at all; but by a judicious selection of 
the most suitable, a considerable number might be 
had in bloom by the second week in September. 
A fact of more importance is that a large importa¬ 
tion of new sorts, chiefly Japanese from the Continent 
as well as English raised seedlings, now finding their 
way into the hands of leading growers, indicate what 
may be done, not only in the near future, but next 
season if Chrysanthemum societies feel so inclined, 
namely to hold exhibitions about the middle or end 
of September, so as to encourage the cultivation of 
early-flowering J apanese varieties of the various types 
then other societies might find it to their advantage 
to hold exhibitions at intermediate dates to those 
already existing. 
It is too early as yet to predict to what perfection 
and size the early-flowering kinds may be brought; 
but one thing certain is that large sections of the 
flower-loving public consider that the blooms as they 
have been already shown are large enough on all 
hands for ordinary decorative purposes. Prizes 
offered at exhibitions would soon show what these 
new Japanese varieties were capable of doing in the 
hands of able cultivators. A new set of growers 
would also be induced to swell the competitive lists, 
if they were taught by exhibitions, conferences, or 
otherwise, that collections of Japanese Chrysan¬ 
themums might be flowered successfully without the 
aid of glass structures. Some amateurs there are 
who would be highly pleased to learn that they could 
render the front of their villas and windows gay by 
easily grown Chrysanthemums during the months of 
September and October.— F. 
Their History as the Imperial Sign of Japan. 
History records that the Chrysanthemums popularly 
cultivated at present are not the natives of our 
empire, though the wild ones have undoubtedly ex¬ 
isted here. Various written records of ancient time 
give us the facts that in the year 386, Kudara (Corea) 
Varieties cultivated at present besides the above 
three are as follows; Saga or Ito-giku, petals of 
fine tubular threads. Natsu-giku, summer varieties ; 
Kan-giku, winter varieties. 
With regard to popular favour, the Chrysanthe¬ 
mum occupies the first place throughout the empire, 
and none is superior to it in popularity or in the 
quantity used as cut flowers for vases in the flower 
market. Consequently many florists devote them¬ 
selves entirely to kiku culture. 
Of the Chrysanthemum as the sign of our imperial 
family our historical knowledge is rather obscure, 
and we cannot trace back clearly to its origin. A 
record entitled “ Toshoryo-Kiroku," published in 1SS7 
by the Imperial library,states as follows : “ Kiku seems 
to have been used as the royal seal some time after 
‘ kiri ’ (another sign of the imperial family composed 
of three racemes and one leaf of Paulownia imperialis, 
but less esteemed in the court), and first made its 
appearance as the sign on the bricks of the Buddha 
temple call Horiuji, established by the ex-empercr 
Shirakawain the year 1075.'' 
Lately, Dr. M. Ivonakamura in a book, " Mondo- 
koro and Kokki-no-Nissho,” says that the signs of 
families in general have their origin in ornamental 1 
figures woven in cloths. In this manner the ChrysaiH 
themum, as the sign of the imperial family, had ifb 
origin in the ornamental figures' on the xoairt' dress 
