The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-11-23
cHRYsAnrHEMUMs, GLORY.
Savannah IN the List for a Chrysan-
themum Show Next Year.

Savannah in the List for a Chrysan-
themum Show Next Year.
This is the chrysanthemum season, and
the aristocraric flower is blooming IN many
of Savannah's handsome gardens. The
cbrysanthemum is one Of the easiest culti-
waited flowers in the catalogue, and is being
grown in greater numbers every year.
Nearly all the cities of the north are now
holding chrysanthemum shows. There is
no good reason why Savannah shouldn't do
likewise, because It has all the material nee
essary to make a successful one. A MORN
ING News reporter has talked with a num-
Der of chrysanthemum growers, and all are
in favor Of inaugurating a chrysanthemum
show next season. at is too late noy.n
said one, "becanse 10y the time things
would be got In readiness the flowers
would not be IN the proper condition.
but next year there ought 70 be a chrysan-
themum show. We had a flower show In
Savannah once, which failed because people
wouldn't contribute or pstronize it. They
seemed to be afraid to have their flowers
put on exhibition. think, though. the
peoples sentiments have changed consider
able, and a chrysanthemum show next
season would be success. There are plenty
of the flowers here and we could have a
magnificent display"
With the coming into vogue of the chrys-
anthemum, with its curious shapes and
colors, chrysanthemum shows have become
immensely popular throughout the country.
The custom of holding chrysanthemum
shows is comparatively new one in the
United States, but for hundreds of years
chrysanthemum shows have been held annu-
ally in Japan, where it is the national
flower. These shows are held
~ ina -
and mark the festival of happiness. The
flowers enter also into the domestic life of
the Japanese. They are conspicuous In the
imperial buildings and the imperial postage
stamp, and are trained on wire to represent
animels of all kinds. One variety grown
there, called the ryorigiku, is edible The
Chinese also hold the flower in admiration,
and originated the practice Of grating diff
ferent varieties on the same stalk, which
bloom simultaneously. In China the flowers
are grown In fantastic shapes, and some
varieties are used for economic purposes.
The chrysanthemum In its primitive form
was originally sent to England from China
in 1859 under the name Matricaria Japon-
lea. About this time six kinds were re-
ported in Holland, but strange to say they
all disappeared, no one seeming to know
their fate. and 1t was not until 1889, over
one hundred years afterward, that NJ.
Beanshard, merchant of Marseilles, rein-
troduced the ohrysanthemun into Europe.
Up to 1920 there were only twelve varieties
known IN England, and not until years af-
ter that was the flower taken up by the
aFistocratic CLASSES For long time It was
contemptuously designated "a mere trades
mans flower" The Chinese flower, which
was first introduced, was somewhat stiff
and prim. In 1862, the first Japanese va
Tieties were introduced into Europe,
and revolutionized the method of growing
and turned the tide Of popularity In
its favor. From that time 1t has been grow
ing in popularity. until now it holds high
place in the floral catalogue. IL is hardy
flower, and under the efforts OF growers has
been made to assume the beautiful contours
and delicate shapes now shown. 1t blooms,
too, at almost the time less hardy flowers
begin TO fade. They have been grown here
for many years, but it is only within the
last twenty years that any zest has been put
into their cultivation. DR.. Henry P. Wal
colt Of Cambridge, Mass, was among the
first to turn the attention of amateurs to
them, and ton years ago succeeded in secur-
ing some 600 varieties. Since then the num-
Der has greatly increased. The flowers have
been made to assume every conceivable
shape and hue. some beautiful, some hid
eous.
The innumerable varieties are now d.
vided into various groups, different classif-
cations being adopted In oluerent places.
One classification divides them into three
groups-Japanese. or those having large,
open flowers; Chinese, those whose flowers
are double, round and full, and the small
lowered, hardy ones, known as pompons.
The National Chrysanthemum Society of
England adopts the following: Iucurved,
Japanese, japanese incurved, japanese re-
fexed, refexed, large anemones, Japanese
anemones, pompons, pompon anemones
and single flowers Under the
first classification the Japanese
are the most popular, being vigorous. with
fine foliage and large loosely arranged, in-
terwisted flowers. with broad, fiat or hairy
petals. They can be cut with long leaty
and stiff shoots, so that the flower is held
erect without the support of wire. Among
the most beautiful, as we'll as the rarest Of
the Japanese flowers, are the ostrich plumes.
They are uncommon in Japan, and have ep-
peared outside of that country only within
the past four or five years.