The evening Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1902-1902, 1902-06-02
JOBSON'S FINE BULBS

made terrific uproar because Mrs. Jobson
had bought about $l.75 worth of Towering
plants in pots at the market.
Madam" he sternly inquired Of Mrs.
Jobson on that occasion, ''do you labor un.
der the halucinaton that your husband is
the owner Of dozen or SO Of 200, 900 bar.
rels-perhou 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, 'just few lit
tie plants to make the house look cheer.
| full"
| Cheerful nothing broke in Mr.. Jobson.
"The blossoms'll all drop off of those meas
| ley geraniums and azaleas and things with.
! in "a hours, and then the plants'll be.
gin to crinkle up, and inside Of three
days they'll all be deader'a sailed mack
elels"
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 when there was ring at the front
| door bell. Mr. Jobson answered the bell.
| The individual on the stoop, as Mr.. Jobson
perceived in the dim light, was arrayed in
\ the uniform Of bluejacket of the United
States navy. The bluejacket seemed to
have a pretty plausible way about him
Good evening, MIR. Jobson," he said, as
| soon as Mr.. Jobson had opened the door.
81 was told to-day by Mr.. Bank naming
| well-known business man to whom Mr..
Jobson had been under more or less obi
| CATION, that you are interested in rare
kinds of foreign plants" .
"Um--yes," said Mr.. Jobson, bit sur.
prised, but fattercd that the well-known
business man should have had him in mind
in connection with such connosseurship.
"Come in" and Mr.. Jobson held the door
open nvitngly. The man in the sailors
uniform stepped into the hall. He was a
| bronzed, shrewd- looking chap. Under his
arm he held small package.
"Well," went on the man in the tar's
makeup. give just got back to Washing
ton, my home, from cruise in the China
seas and I've brought number of speci-
mems Of Chinese dubious plants back with
me-"
"That SOP inquired Mr.. Jobson some
what interested to be engaged in converse.
ton with a heavy-weather chap who had
been so far from home.
eyes, 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
The package contained about dozen
round, brownish-looking rather dirty bulbs.
The individual with the salt water makeup
picked one of them out and held it up to
| the light between his thumb and foreinger.
"This 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 have TO do is to plant it about three
| inches deep in pot and set it in the sun,
watering it a couple Of times day. and in
side OF week or so an orchid,like blossom,
| in three distinct colors, makes its appear.
ance, seeming to grow right out OF the
loam."
well, III be dnged!' exclaimed Mr..
Jobson. taking the bulb and examining it
curiously. That's quick action for TEL
lows money, isn't it:'
"Yes, sir complacently replied the man
with the tar's uniform. The beauty of it
is that's the only specimen Of the Chnka-
| cnsis Bloomerionus now in the United
States, and the superintendent of the Bo.
tancal gardens here has been trying to
get hold of specimen, they tell me, for
| years. All OF these other specimens belong
to the family Mongolosus Gopherbolgus.
You plant them just the same as the other,
only il 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,
sheds fragrance like that oil the SNlIlan
violet
'B'jee, that's odd, now, for fact. said
Mr.. Jobson. Mrs. Jobson,' he called,
there's something in the way OF plants
that's worth while--not your common, ordi-
nary geranlums, and truck like that, but
rare stuff right straight from the land OF
the slant eyes. This young man has Just
| got back from China, and he was recon-
mended to fetch those Dubious contraptions
to me by Mr.. Blank and Mr.: Jobson re,
peated to her the directions ne had Hsleheo
to as to how the things should be planted.
Mrs. Jobson got behind nm and tired TO
tug at his sleeve, nut MI Jonson aiuh or
wouldn't notice this move. linen Mrs Joo'
son said:
81 don't believe you'd care for them,
would you?" 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.
What dye want for the whole lot Of
em, SOM" he inquired
"Well," was the reply, Gust because you
| take an interest in such things, and because
| 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
"a yen, or $l2"
"That's reasonable enough" said Mr..
| Jobson, all the more resolved because Mrs.
,,La..