Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-26
JOBSON'S FINE BULBS

had bought about 81. 70 worth of Towering
plants In pots at the market.
Madame" he sternly inquired OF Mrs.
Johson on that occasion, do you labor I'M
der the Authorization that your husband is
the owner of a dozen or so of 200. 0t0-bar-
rels- per-hour gushers in the Beaumont oil
fields? Dye imagine that I'm at the head
of the beet sugar interest in this country
But said Mrs. Jobson, lust a few lit
tie plants to make the house look cheer
full"
Cheerful nothing" broke in Mr. Jobson.
THE blosSoms'n all drop off of those meas
ley geraniums and azaleas and things with
in twenty-four hours, and then the plantsll
begin to crinkie up, and inside of three
days they'll all be deader'n sailed mack
erels. You might just well have taken
that S1.75 and chucked it to the gold fish
in the fountain at the National Museum.
ou'Ve got just about as much idea of the
value OF money as rabbit has of wireless
telegraphy.''
Mr.. Jobson's prediction as to the short
lived character of Mrs Jobson's plants
didn't come true. In fact, Mrs. Jobson was
engaged in watering them a few evenings
later where there was a ring at the front
door bell. Mr., Jobson answered the bell.
The individual on the stoop, Mr.. Jobson
perceived in the dim light. was arrayed in
the uniform of bluejaeket of the United
States navy. The bluejacket seemed to
| have pretty plausible way about him.
Good evening. Mr. Jobson,' he said, as
soon as Mr.. Jobson had opened the door.
Il was told today by Mr.. Blank, naming
| well-known business man to whom Mr..
| Jobson has been under more or less obli-
CATION, that you are interested in rare
| kinds of foreign plants
Um-yes," said Mr.. Jobson, bit sur
| prised, but fiattered that the well-known
business man should have had him in mind
| In connection with such connoisseurship.
Come in. and Mr.. Jobson held the door
oil >k,a ~
| uniform stepped into the hall. He was
bronzed, STRENGTHENING chap. Under his
arm he held small package.
Well went on the man IN the tars
makeup, I've just got back to Washing
ton, my home from a cruise in the China
seas, and I've brought a number of speci-
mems Of Chinese dubious plants back with
me-
That sou inquired Mr.. Jobson. some
what interested to be engaged in CONVERSE
t1on. with heavyweather chap who had
been so far from home.
Yes, sir, replied the man in the deep
water rig. and I've brought few of the
| specimens along with me-" and he proceed
| ed to unwrap the package.
Inc package contained about dozen
| round Notwithstanding, rather dirty bulbs
| The individual with the saltwater makeup
| picked one Of them out and held it up to
| the light between his thumb and forefinger
:, ms one, he said, belongs to the fam
| lily Chinkalensis Bloomerionus. It's about
| the most rapid-growing Dubious plant
| known in the Horticulture of China All
| you nave to do is to plant 1t about three
lnches deep in pot and set it in the sun,
| watering IL couple OF times day, and in
side or week or so an orchid-like blossom
| In three distinct colors, makes its appear
| ance, seeming to grow right out of the
| loam.'
We'll, I'll be dinged." exclaimed Mr.
Jobson, taking the bulb and examining it
curiously. That's quick action for fell
lows money, isn't it?'
| Yves
| with the tar's uniform. THE beauty of IL
is that's the only specimen of the Chinka-
| iehsls BioomerlonuS now In the United
| states, and the superintendent of the b.
tanlcal Gardens here has been trying to
get mold of specimen, they tell me for
years All of these other specimens belong
to the family of Mongolosus GopherboIgus
| You plant them just the same as the other
only it takes 'em about ten DAYS to bloom
| inside of three weeks, however, they at
| tain the size of large rubber plants and
| the flower, good deal like purple pansy
| violet"
bee that's odd. now, for a factr' said
MI Jobson. Mrs. Jobson," he. called,
! here's something in the way of plants
mat worth while-not your common, ordi-
| nary geraniums, and truck like that. but
rare stuff right straight from the land of
| the siant-eyes. This young man has lust
got pack from China, and he was recon-
mended to fetch these dubious contraptions
| to me by Mr. Blank" and Mr.. Jobson re-
peated to her the directions he had listened
to as to how the things should be planted
Mrs. Jobson got behind him and tried to
| tug at his sleeve. but Mr.. Jobson didn't or
wouldn't notice this move. Then Mrs. job
son said:
Il don't believe you'd care for them
| would your at the same time shaking her
| head at Mr. Jobson when the man in the
| sailors uniform wasn't looking. Mr.. job
son only scowled at these manifestations,
| however, and turned to the visitor
I INF fnr thn vlafa ~
| EN-. SOM" he inquired
! We'll" was the reply. Just because you
take an interest in such things. and because
| 1 know you'll cultivate em and raise EN-
right I'd be willing to Sell them to you,
| Mr.. Jobson, for just what they cost me
| twenty-four yen. or twelve dollars.
That's reasonable enough" said Mr..
| Jobson, all the more resolved because Mrs
| Jobson continued to shake her head when
| the visitor wasn't looking, and he paid the
man the So and took the package Of
| brownish, dirty-looking bulbs. The man
| tipped Mr.. and Mrs. Jobson a salute and
| departed.
| That very night Mr.. Jobson impressed
| into service small-sized tub that he found
in the store room. filled it with earth dug
| from the back yard. and planted the dozen
and odd bulbs per the directions of the
| man with the tar's rig. He set the tub in
| the middle Of the back yard, and for a
watering OF them. The Chinkalensis
| Bloomerionus seemed to be rather back
| ward, but Mr.. JobSon attributed that to the
| raWness of the weather. After about three
weeks couple of tiny green shoots made
| their appearance from each of the bulbs
| and MIR. Jobson was SO elated that he called
| his next-door neighbor into the back yard
| to look at them, explaining grandloquently
| the nature Of the plants. The next-door
netghbor. who had been raised in the coun-
| try, looked at the tiny green shoots for
| half minute, and then he gazed at Mr.
| Jobson with a grin.
| They're onions," he said to Mr.. Jobson.
| Mr.. JObson called him idiot, but when
| he saw that Mrs. Jobson had overheard
! the conversation from the kitchen window
| he stormed into the house.
| Madam" said he, II see it all now
| You were in cahoots with that swindier in
! uniform, and you only wanted to get even
| with for Directing to your throwing
| away money on market-stall flowers. / see
| it all now as plain as day. and you'll never
| get another chance to put up a low-down
| job on me. Every stick of this furniture
| goes into storage tomorrow morning at 10
! o'clock!
Less Reading, More Thinking.
| From the Detroit Free Press
OF popular reading there is entirely too
much. except upon the hypothesis that