Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-10-30
RoosEvELTs SHOW OF NUNS.
Will Be Placed On Exhibition tho Com L.
ina Month.

year the largest chrysanthemums that
are grown anywhere some Of them as
big as a mans head. They will be
placed on public exhibition this month
at the White House Conservatives In
the White, Lot, and will afford a really
superb spectacle, says a Washington
letter.
The collection, indeed, Is one Of the
finest in the world, comprising sixty
choice varieties and $500 plants, which
occupy one very large green house.
Each blossom is picture, and many of
them are over a foot in diameter.
Mrs. Roosevelt asked the White
House gardener the other day II he had
not a blue, chrysanthemum, but he was
obliged to confess, regretfully, that
there was mot single one Of that va
rIety in his collection. If one were to
be had anywhere it would be secured
at any expense. but the fact Is that
such a thing does not exist in the
world. There are plenty Of NUNS OF
yellow. white, pink, red and bronze. but
the blue is as yet prize which eludes
the horticultural grasp
1t is no .exaggeration to say that a
single chrysanthemum plant bearing
flowers OF undeniable blue would be
worth $4,000. Such a plant could be
sold readily for that amount Of money
and would be easily worth 1t as COM
mercial investment. II 1t is ever OBJ
tained it is likely to arrive as an acci-
dental sport" like many another pre-
vious novelty in horticulture.
In the vegetable world a sport" Is
easily perpetuated by breeding because
as is not the case with animals, OF
course pieces Of the parent can be
taken away and made to reproduce the
original. A blue chrysanthemum plant,
II it turned up, would be promptly de-
stroyed, being chopped into bits, which,
set in moist sand, would rapidly grow,
soon placing the owner in exclusive
possession Of an entire hot house plan
tation of a priceless variety.
It has been ascertained recently that
the color Of violets and other blue and
purple flowers Is due to the presence OF
a peculiar substance called flower
blue" which is held in solution by the
plant. If the blossoms are squeezed,
the Juice that exudes from them has
this tint The composition Of the sub
stance In question is difficult prob
lem in organic chemistry, and nobody
knows from what source 1t Is derived,
but apparently 1t does not exist In any
kind of mum thus far colored by the
gardeners art
Generally speaking flower juices
show the colors Of the flowers from
which they are obtained; but this Is
not true Of yellow chrysanthemums
and yellow blooms Of other kinds, which
owe their hue not to cell-sap. but to
granular pigment in the cell-walls. The
cell-sap derived from blossoms Of other
tints has been found, when squeezed
into a suitable receptacle, to undergo
marked changes Of color when treated
with various chemicals; and 1t has
been ascertained that the growing flow
ers can be made to alter their tints
by watering them with solu-
tions Of the same chemicals.
1t is reported that in this way recent
ly blue chrysanthemums have actually
been secured, their hues running all
the way from sky blue to dark ultra
that is to say, by wa
tering the plants with chemical solu-
ton. But, Of course, the flowers thus
colored by artifice could have no great
value except as curiosities. What Is
demanded in the market is natural bile
NUNS, and not painted ones. Roses
watered with solution Of potash turn
green, and a similar application OF
alum will change them to lilac tint,
but such freaks are not especially es-
teemed.
Apropos of which remark one may
say that even green chrysanthemums
have been produced lately: hut though
as curios, no one seems to
them particularly. If some in
genious horticulturist would only con-
tribute to this much-prized flower a
perfume. that indeed would be worth
while. Beautiful as 1t is, the finest
mum in the florists shop, at $12 doz-
en-, has no smell-or, IL any, a slight
and disagreeable one. Other kinds Of
flowers have been bred successfully
for perfume: perhaps some day in the
not distant future there may be
to which my lady will
apply her pretty nose with pleasure.
Newspaper cartoonists are fond IF
representing the typical young IRAN of
fashion as adorned with huge chrys-
in his buttonhole. AS a
matter of fact the flower Is not thus
worn by gentlemen-for one reason,
because it Is too big. Its fashionable
vogue, in autumn, is due largely to the
fact that it arrives in a vacant floral
season, so to speak, when the outdoor
flowers have vanished and before the
violets and green house
roses have made their appearance.
In all probability the chrysanthe-
mum, fashionably speaking, has come
TO stay-as much so. indeed, as the rose
and the carnation. 1t fills want that
no other flower will supply at season
when no other blossom Of Importance
Is obtainable. This autumn the peo-
pie Of this country will pay s50O,OO0
for it's blossoms, which have come to
be considered as marking in festive
way a certain season-just as violets
celebrate the spring time.
It seems. likely that the chrysanthe-