, 1890-11-13
THE REIGNING QUEEN
Roses and Orchids Dethroned
by Chrysanthemums.
new AND STRIKING BEAUTIES
Some Flowers Which Will Be Ex
hibited at 'ho San Francisco
Flower Show.
fExaminer.1

N rev ycuTs upo tue CTySunthe.
mum, in this country, was only a
glorihed China aster. 1t had few
dingy hues, and that was all. 1t
was either faded brown. musty
white or dull blue. 1t grew on a
big, scraggy plant, and its great vlr.
tue was its hardihood.
a good American would AZ soon
thought of raving over n peony as
over II crysanthemum. With the
reign Of the Anglo-maniac came a
great revolution. That observing
creature discovered that tho artless
japanese flower was the rage In
England, and hey, presto! tho
ragged beauty leaped into fashion,
able favor.
History Is developing its monot-
onous old habit of repeating itself.
and the crysanthemum enthusiasts
are vying with the tulip devotees Of
"a century ago in their devotion TO
the reigning favorite. Some of the
prices paid for n ''rare specimen
cause the frugal minded to stare and
the worldly to stand aghast. In
Philadelphia this year there Is n
prize offered for every new variety.
The proud discoverer of a fresh
beauty will not only cover himself
with glory, but will receive 500 In
good coin OF the realm.
The result of all this Is, that there
are now in, San Francisco alone,
over 300 varieties of the once hum.
10 .,nrlnn ,,Iant unI fhnr., Ia
guessing how many new ones are
being secretly matured in quiet con-
scrvatories, from which they will is-
sue forth to dazzle the world at tho
coming "show." They are such
gorgeous, glowing, insistent sort OF
flowers, that they grow upon the
indifferent observer and hold him
with IL subtle charm of their own.
A very wide awake sort of blossom
Is the new Japanese beauty, which
has been chrlstcned Monarch
1t has great golden heart and
glaring pink petals that fairly glisten
In the sunshine. Another new one
Is the "King of Crysanthenums," u
curly, crinkly thing it is, with
petals like duh red satin, just cream
Ing into n faint yellow at tho edges.
The very queen of all chrysanthe-
NUNS is found In u San Francisco
garden. There has never been one
like IL here before, and there Is q
very pretty little story told of 1t. a
year ago there were three homesick
japanese boys In Washington. They
were very kindly entertained by a
society lady, who pitied the pensive
exiles. When they returned to
Japan they sent her some plants.
Among them was the ostrich-plume
chrysanthemum. 1t Is snowy
blossom with satin petals all a-glis-
ter with fine little hairs. 1t Is Pc
cullarly delicate and dainty. The
lady gave the plant to nursery
man, who made just precisely 81 800
by the sale of the pretty gift.
Some remarkably fine specimens
of the golden dragon will be ex-
hibited at the flower show. The
golden dragon Is just big, fluffy
ball of a peculiarly deep yellow.
Then there Ia n queer little one
that looks for all the world like u
frightened sunfiower. II II Just the
shape of that aesthetic posey, but is
pure white. There seems absolutely
no end to the colors that burn upon
the stately flowers. Strange blues,
gorgeous yellows and weird varie-
gations flourish gaudily side by
side.
They are strong, healthy, weather
defying blades, are those fashions
lavorites, but they have one deadly
enemy. The insidious caterpillar Is
feaful foe, and he who would raise
u row of brilliant-hued crysanthe-
NUNS must emulate the ambitious
bird and rise with tho dawn to
seek his prey.