Arizona republican., 1911-01-30

the moon or the stars or other at- fecting influences seem to be tenn porarily disarranged. All this is but mere interesting observation from an Americans standpoint. suggested by the phenomena attending the arrival of the Chinese New Year for 1911 as calculated by the Christian Record.
 Chinese new year wbich lasts for a more or less extended period, for one reason or another is for the peOpi- of that race, the one Overpowering joyfest of the seasons. It is fourth of July. Thanksgiving day, Christmas and New Years all rolled into one: the period when all good citizens of that race square their mental moral and financial accounts with each other and with the world. if there is any possible way of doing SO. And having done so they celebrate the event by presents to their friends. of cigars. sweetmeats, fruits. nuts, silken fabrics and other tokens. It is as near an occasion for sentimental ex- pression as a Chinaman ever allows himself to get. Also great quantities of fireworks are exploded. presumably to scare away the devils and all possible is done to propitiate that deity to whose keeping is left all the rabbits feet that will be needed for the good luck and prosperity of the worshipper. during the ensuing year. And that is finally what all this is leading up to, the story of the China Lily. the emblem of good luck
 It has been noted by all close ob- servers who live in a community where there are any considerable number of Chinese, that weeks before new years. annually the representa- tives of that race begin the growing of China lilies And it has probably been noticed also that they SD ar range their planting. Con a few stones in the water in an earthen receptacle) that they will be in full bloom when new years arrives. The Chinese who has few lilies in bloom on that Oc- casion. feels content in his heart that the god of good luck will be kind to him during the coming year insofar as that particular god has jurisdic- ton. How far that benign influ- ence is likely to extend cannot be said. Whether it wards off death and disease or whether it merely pertains to financial matters. or whether it is little of both. the writer cannot say, but it probably has fully as much effectiveness in respect of gen eral good luck. as has the rabbits foot over the fortunes of the Amer ican. But if the blossoms of the lily are puny and weakly and the odor is not of a pronounced fragrance. then the grower of the flowers may have occasion tO approach the future with fear and trembling. for things con corning him are not exactly as they ought to be for his happiness and we'll being
 And this is the story of the origin of the custom. Long ago a very wealthy Chinese had three sons, two of whom were favorites while the third was regarded by the father as black sheep. When the time came for the parceling out Of the parental estate the father gave tO his two we'll beloved sons a large acreage of what was regarded as the finest land in the country, rich and productive. The third son was allotted tract of per
 
 land that was not believed to be of any value. The soil was seemingly of an inferior quality. It was not good rice or wheat land: in fact was not known to be good for very much of anything.
 But the young scoundrel took his medicine without murmur and in exploring his properties he found the China lily growing beautifully and in considerable quantity. He introduced it to his countrymen who quickly fell before its charms and a demand for it was soon created. It was easy for him to grasp his opportunities and thereupon he began the cultiva- tion of the lily on a large scale fin ally devoting his entire acreage to it. It is said that in no other locality does the lily grow SO nicely. so easily or so perfectly. The rage spread and he became the lily trust of the em- pire. Coupled with his marketing and the stream of wealth which began to turn in his direction. was the story of the fall from parental favor and how his seeming misfortune had been the foundation of his financial sue cess. The lily thereupon became the emblem of good luck and the demand for it was nation wide resulting in his amassing a colossal fortune.
 The writer is not Chinaman and will not vOuch for the truthfulness of this story. but gives it as it is re- lated by several of the most intelli- gent members of the colony residing here They say the lily will grow elsewhere than on the acres of it's natural home above described. but that it does not grow so we'll: that the flowers are less beautiful and that their fragrance is less pro nounced. wherefore the demand is only for the bulbs from the original farm, for when one is seeking good luck. the best is none too good At tention was called to the fact that many of the lilies after Towering have been planted in Phoenix gar dens. though strange to say they do not bloom the next year. however luxuriantly the plants may grow It is said. though the writer has not verified it that they bloom in the garden. if kept. on alternate years. This fact was told to the Chinese who admit it's possibility but say the flowers are lacking in the fragrance of those that spring from the import ed bulbs. And it is notable that even the most skilled Chinese gardeners