THE LADIES' FLORAL CABINET. 
357 
est and value, and therefore, the portion devoted to 
in-door decoration will be given more prominence than 
in the past, believing that whatever tends, whether in 
Nature or Art, to make the home attractive and beauti¬ 
ful, creates a pure and refining influence felt by all the 
members of the household, thereby making such a 
department especially appropriate to a floral publica¬ 
tion. While we shall not enter into “high art,” we 
hope always to place before our readers such of the 
newest designs as combine easiness of execution and 
practical utility, with an artistic appearance. 
In the future, as in the past, each subscriber will 
receive, annually, a collection of seeds, bulbs or plants. 
Wo offer these as premiums, although we do not like 
the word, because, in reality, we devote a part of the 
income from our paper to the dissemination of choice 
flowers, in order that the taste for them may be culti¬ 
vated, as well as increased. We send out such only as 
we know have special merit, and will afford the growers 
a vast amount of pleasure that they would not other¬ 
wise get. We are not altogether unselfish in this 
matter, knowing full well, that with the taste for flow¬ 
ers, the desire for knowledge about them increases, and 
that the circulation of the Cabinet will increase in the 
same ratio. 
And here, as it is by our friends’ kind assistance and 
our subscribers’ liberal patronage that we have been 
enabled to accomplish whatever improvement we have 
already made in the Cabinet, and hope to compass 
others as they may offer, we would again tender our 
heartfelt thanks to all by whom we have been thus en¬ 
couraged. We claim besides, the customary privilege 
of wishing for our patrons and contributors a Merry 
Christmas and a Happy New Year. 
THE CHRYSANTHEMUM, 
The Queen of Autumn. 
Read at the November Meeting of the New York Horticultural Society. 
Mr. President , Ladies and Gentlemen :—It is perhaps 
folly on my part to ask you to share with me in the be¬ 
lief that the Chrysanthemum at this moment eclipses the 
Rose, but is she not entitled to be our queen to-day? How¬ 
ever, I know you will agree that our exhibition 
warrants me in saying a good word for such a beauti¬ 
ful family. Let us consider how many forms and sizes 
are to be found, how many colors and composi¬ 
tions that are not in any other genus, the simple 
cultivation and inexpensive appliances required for 
their protection, and I think you will be somewhat 
convinced that the Chrysanthemum is entitled to 
universal cultivation, and ought to be at this season 
of the year in everybody’s _ house and in every¬ 
body’s yard and garden. Before going into the details of 
cultivation, it will be well to give a short sketch of the 
history and introduction of the flower. 
The first introduction is mentioned by Breynius as 
being brought to Holland in 1G89, and described by him 
as Matricaria Japonica Maxima, having large flowers of 
yellow, white, blush, purple, and crimson. Linnaeus in 
in 1753 refers to C. Sinense with large white flowers; C. 
Indicum with small yellow flowers double and single; 
and eveu as early as 1G99 Rheede figured Indicum (the 
Pompon type of to-day), again noticed by Thunberg as 
Matricaria in 1784. It would seem that during the next 
few years there was quite a contention as to whether 
they were Matricarias Antliemis or Artemisias, for 
botanists, like doctors, frequently disagree; the conclusion 
arrived ac was that it was a new genus (?) and should 
be called Chrysanthemum from chrysos, gold or golden, 
and anthos, a flower. Immediately after the beginning 
of the present century, many varieties of the Chinese 
section were introduced directly from China, when their 
cultivation became almost general in Europe, and the 
raising of seedlings commenced—the immediate rela¬ 
tives of our present forms. Pompons were introduced by 
the late Robert Fortune in 1845, and the modern Japan¬ 
ese kinds by him in 1859. Unfortunately, I have no data 
as to their first introduction into America, but have 
no doubt they were here as early as 1820. 
The Chinese, or large flowered, received from raisers of 
seedlings the most attention, and in 1850 there were 
several hundred varieties cultivated, some of which are 
really fine kinds at this moment—as Temple of Solomon, 
Annie Salter, Queen of England, Christine and Defiance. 
The Pompons had, about 1850, began to be considered 
valuable additions, and some of the very oldest varieties 
are grown to-day, as Drin Drin, Bob, Gen. Canrobert, 
Model and Helene. At the regular exhibition of one of 
the Chrysanthemum societies, held in London, in 1861, 
a few of the Japanese varieties were shown by Mr. John 
Salter, where, in the conclusion of a report by one of 
the leading horticultural papers, it is said that “from 
the irregular shape and ragged appearance of the Japan¬ 
ese kinds, they will soon be consigned to oblivion.” 
So much for predictions. 
Referring to the forms of Chrysanthemums, the 
Chinese have t wo types, incurved and reflexed, and are 
represented in the incurved class by Mrs. George Rundle, 
in the reflexed by Dr. Sharpe. 
The Pompons, or small flowering, have several types 
and are of various sizes, and can be found beginning 
with the smallest in Gen. Canrobert, Model of Perfec¬ 
tion, Circle, Fimbriata, Bob and Mdlle Marthe repre¬ 
senting the classes. 
The Japanese have still more variations in shapes— 
which are represented in Gloire de Rayonnaute, M. 
Planchenau, Golden Dragon, Hiver Fleuri, Bras Rouge, 
Juvena and Comte de Germiny. Yet another section is 
found in the Anemone formed, both large and small 
flowering in Firefly and Gluck, and to finish up with, 
some single flowers are receiving great admiration. To 
be able to distinguish all the different forms, I have 
been enabled to make exhibits of the varieties above 
mentioned. 
CULTIVATION AND ADAPTABILITY. 
I do not hesitate to state that no class of plants thrive 
so well with as little care. And as a town-plant it has 
no equal. It seems to thrive equally as well in the 
smoke and dust of large cities, as in the open country, 
requiring only sun a few hours each day, rich soil and 
