The evening times., 1898-11-02
AUTUMN'S FLORAL GLORY
For a Season Bushy Ghfysan-
themums Stop the Way.
QUEEN OF GARDEN PLANTS
Born Among the Weeds I'm Japan
and Nursed Into Fuzzy Emiuence
in the Western Land-Whcn Its
Foliage Fades the Modest Violet
Ascends the Tbrone.

Local horticulturists and lovers of fow-
ers are making way for gorgeous chry-
santhemums, which viii soon be crowned
the queen of the autumn floral season.
As yet one notices but few of the many
varieties of the popular flower in the but
,onhole of Sunday afternoon promenaders
and the nightly theatergoers, but the
space of the tall show windows of the
florists is already monopolized by all the
new shades and sizes and before many
days they may be seen on every coat
lapel, according 10 the loudness of the
popular taste and the size of the indi-
vidual purse.
Though the flower promises TO be as
popular this year as formerly the florists
say that they do not expect the public
TO rave over it as in former years when
'peachblow vases" were the rage and
trandscendentals throughout the land
went Taying mad over estheticism and
INDUCED in mOonshine sentiment over the
subtleties of the English school of ltera-
ture and art. The craze is dead al least
so the florists say; and the youth of the
town, as well as those of the country in
general no longer seek the largest and
gaudiest varieties of the plant With
the waning of their former Volative ten
dencies their passion for grotesque bou-
quets and extravagant floral punches has
gradually cooled until the chrysanthe-
mum is no longer the victim of abnormal
taste.
II has now assumed it's proper place
among the other beautiful horticultural
products of the autumn nursery, and
competes with the rose and the violet
for popular favor During the early win
ter season all three are popular favor
ties, but, reigning at different periods,
each may be styled. and very properly,
the queen of its own time. The chrysan-
themums reign here. ana next week.
ii is said by local growers and dealers.
ii will be enthroned as the queen of the
autumn. 1t will be regnant until Thanks
giving, when its hold on popular favor
will die out with the fading of the fol-
age. Then the pretty violet which is in
the nursery. Will flourish, succeeding il
as the queen of the holiday season.
Inquiry elicits the statement that no
body knows just how or when the chrys-
anthemum was brought into this coun-
try. II has been suggested that 1t came
the pestilent grasses, which are 10 he
seen in various parts OF the country. il
Is known. though that about a decade
and half ago florists began 20 de-
vote their time and attention to the
plant, and as result of their efforts toe
original weed flower of Japan was de-
veloped and nursed until the most tusby
flower became the rage. That rage has
become less by degrees. and ut times
has even lost the attention which was
lavished upon Ii when men were chrysan-
themum mad. Then there have been
revirals, and no one. even the florists
themselves can gauge popular whims
closely enough at this season of the wear
to tell just what the favor of the flower
will be during its season. At present To-
cal dealers say they think the season of
the chrysanthemum is a thing of the
past, and that instead of being worship
ed as a dennis goddess it will remain SIM
ply the queen of its season. Instead OF
being fad, ii Will apparently be a very
desirable plant and good quality and
fair sizes, with good color, shape and
foliage will be desired. rather than eX-
travagant growths a foot in diameter
The chrysanthemum is not properly
speaking, hot-house flower but il is
only possible to develop it to the rarest
beauty Dy growing them under the glass
and protecting it from the wind and the
rain. These are its worst enemies. and
blow and dash it to pieces causing it
to lose its beautiful petals. The frost
is also an enemy that must be guarded
against, as it stunts its growth
The most familiar plant and an old es-
tablished variety of the flower is the
Ivory. II is about inches i'll diameter
and is used for buttonholes and clusters
at banquets The largest of the white
variety is the Mrs. Robinson which is
about inches in diameter, having a good
stem and plenty of foliage. 1t is a new
growth and has supplanted the Miss
Bergman and others of the old varie-
ties which were popular favorites several
years ago. The white chrysanthemums
of half dozen years back were colossal
in size, but then tendency of popular ia
vor has been toward smaller flowers in
recent years until inches is considered
plenty large enough at this time
Another beauty of the white variety is
the Mrs. Wilson," which gets its name
from the wife of Gen. John NJ. Wilson.
the present chief of engineers of the army,
and formerly the superintendent of pub
lie buildings and grounds here, in which
capacity he was brought in close con-
tact with the Government hothouses and
the floral experts of the Capital The
Mrs. Wilson" is about 10 inches I'm diam
eter and is one of the few large sizes
that retains its popularity. ssA "a
The John r. Pitcher Is one of the mos,