The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1878-05-21
Hydrangea grows wild in the mountains

Hydrangea grows wild in the mountains
OF Japan, and the commonest variety il
a beautiful blue. They have in June ,
large yellow flower called "Evenin9
Glories," that literally burst into bloom
! as flower after flower springs suddenly
open, till the whole bush is mass o.
yellow, and the air perfumed with them
The variegated naples come cut in the
spring almost as gorgeous as ours in DC
tober; my friend saw one where each
leaf was in two shades of red. Their
poets speak of the time "when the maple
grows red in the spring"
But the Chrysanthemums are cult
waited to the most wonderful perfection
and exhibited in the most remarkable
arrangements. They are often larger
than dahlias, and endless in variety and
color. 1t is favQrite flower with the
japanese, and the mikado's crest is one
of these.
In the gardens where they are cult
waited, they have series of little booths,
where are figures that have mask faces,
but the bodies and every detail of cos
tune are made of the flowers and leaves.
There were court ladies, and warriors in
fierce attitudes, little children and ami
mails.
Some of these have arrangements in
the rear to move them in different ways.
In one place they had young lady,
with corresponding mask, and peeping
from her dress behind was fox's tail.
By sudden movement the mask would
be changed, and fox appear. The
transformation fox can make to de-
ceive the unwary is a favorite subject
with the japanese. In another place a
giant was flying monster kite, and on
the string were all sorts of paper figures
dragons, men, birds, ETC., supposed to
be messengers to the kite.
Later on my friends visited another
part of Toxic where these shows were
held. They describe it as one of the
busiest, noisiest places in Japan.
You go through an immense gateway,
with lanterns hung in it at as tall as a
man. On each side are gigantic statues
of gods and dragons, with mems faces,
and fastened to the gateway inclosing
these are quantities of straw sandals and
wooden clogs, and an immense foreign
shoe; a sarcasm undoubtedly.
There was temple here, and the
grounds around it were full of everything
you can imagine. Archery and photo
graph galleries, tea houses and wax
shows. All had runners out to attract
you to their establishments, and Jap
anese orchestra of flutes and drums; the
former piercing and shrill, the latter
deep and loud.
They had here scenes from the late
war, and the principal rebels figured in
them, all dressed in chrysanthemum
flowers. Their swords, shoes and caps
were as usual, but every thing else of the
flowers. They had horses with men on
them almost life size
My friends went into a garden under
two arches made of these blossoms, and
inside was lady riding on a white
elephant. This was very large and per-
fectly proportioned, and made. of the
different colored flowers in mosaic. They
saw also little children dressed as China
men.
In this garden the flowers were grow
ing in all sorts of arrangements of pots
and beds. There was also little pond,
with bridges across it, and rock work !;
also an artificial hill, where you could
take view of the scenes around.
1t cost a cent and half to 60 in and
see any one of these shows.-Christian
Union,