The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-11-28
THE EVOLUTION OF THE CULT.
WAITED CHRYSANTHEMUM.

The development Of the cultivated
chrysanthemum furnished a most re-
markable example Of the ingenuity
and perseverance OF the plant n.y.
bridist. Although a sixteen petalled
chrysanthemum il the emblem Of
Japan inc this flower IL called the
Flower OF Japan" all evidence goes
to show that tho chrysanthemum Is
indigenous to China. Later II was
imported to Japan. where II achieved
n success far exceeding that in It's
native country. According to Chinese
history the chrysanthemum vas cul-
tivated In China over 1000 years ago.
Confucius. who supposedly lived 500
Il. c., mentions the flower under the
name "Li-Ki." and some Chinese pot
terry preserved In the British
museum which dates as early as 1876
1I36 bears an exact replica of one Of
the earlier forms Of tho chrysanthe-
mum. Previous to the importation of
the chrysanthemum into Europe the
Chinese were known to graft certain
iiltS htlu tuiNiNate FDt'iiitflS liilllu
To the single stemmed varieties of the
present dag. They ever adopted a
style of nomenclature which bears
little resemblance to our modern sys-
tenn: for instance. one favorite was
called The Drunken Lady" owing to
the dropping habit Of the flowers dur
ing the day.
h earliest record Of the introduce
ton Of the chrysanthemum into Eu-
rope, according TO the Missouri Botani-
cal Garden Bulletin. dates from 1858,
when 1t was taken into Holland by
Breynius. a merchant of Dantzig. who
in the mex veal published his Pro
dromus P,an,arum Rariorum." which
contained accurate descriptions OF the
varieties then growing in Holland. In
spite OF its Easy cultivation. however,
interest In the chrysanthemum soon
died out and the varieties described by
Breynius passed out of existence in
Holland. England is the next country
OF which We have any record of the
chrysanthemum being imported, being
brought this time In a dried State from
China In l69s-l703 by James Cunning
ham. surgeon to the East India COM
pany in Annoy. China. In 1894 living
specimens were introduced into Eng
land: these were sent from Nimpu
tprobably Nimgpo,. China. and were
cultivated by Philip Miller. The plants
were also grown In the famous Chelsea
Garden. in London. n II was from
here that herbarium specimens were
collected and preserved which are ac-
cessible al the present day. The speci-
mems are labelled "Chrysanthemum
indicum" and show flowers with small
double heads. undoubtedly being one of
the true "indicum" type.
The next important step in Chrysan-
themum culture was In 1859, when a
French merchant. NJ. Blancard. brought
home three varieties from China. one
white. one violet and one purplish.
Within three sears there was scarcely
a garden In Versailles that had not
adopted the chrysanthemum. tho
flowers then being about the size Of
the present day carnation. NJ Blanc
ards purple variety was introduced
into England in 1890. Concerning this
introduction Sabine writes; This is
the purple variety; il mad been trans
mitted to this country from France I'm
1890. and after its arrival here thc
changeable white was obtained from
it by cultivation. Between the years
1875 and 1905 inclusive eight new
varieties were imported from China
into England in the following order
The rose and bun together In 1873, the
golden yellow and the quilted yellow
together in 1902, the sulphur yellow
at the latter end of the same year, the
Spanish brown in 1906 and the quilted
white and large lilac together in 1908.
OF these the sulphur yellow was m
ported for Thomas Evans. Esq. of
StepneS and the remaining seven sorts
for Sir Abraham Hume. Later i'm
p~ortations have produced two others
the tasselled white in 1916 and the SUI
perb white in 1917"
For a considerable time after their
introduction the French and English
gardeners had been experimenting
: with the object OF raising chrysanthe-
NUNS from seed. Success was finally
attained by a French officer, NJ IIernet
The previous year he had discovered
some withered flower heads in which
he was surprised to find seeds bearing
all the signs of perfect maturity
Keeping his discovery n secret. he
carefully tended the seeds himself. and
In the fall of 1927 was rewarded with
several fine varieties of plants.
; In 1913 Robert Fortune was sent tc
, China by the Royal Horticultural So
:. ciety of London in search OF rare
| plants. On his return in ls46 he
I brought. among other curiosities
two small lowered chrysanthemum'
known as the Cuban daisy and tn,
Chinese minimum. These according
= to James SalteI were probably varie,
ties from tho true Chrysanthemun
: indicum Of LinnRus. The plants, how
I ever, did not find favor with tho Eng
lish growers owing to their small flow
ers. but they were appreciated by tn,
French and were used for hybridizing
= According to several authorities tn,
4 pompons OF the present day chrysan'
themum originated from these two va
! ~rleties. The introduction of the Jap
anese specimens into Europe date,
from 1862, when they were brough'
back by Mr.. Fortune RON his SECOND
Z trip to China, Salter In describing
these new plants says: Some varie'
T ties were spotted and striped; other,
0 were fantastic forms called dragons
t and one noteworthy specimen was {
= beautiful fringed white flower, in ap
0 pearance more like "A Japanese pinl
than IA chrysanthemnm."
The development OF the chrysanthe
q mum before its introduction into Eu
= rope is II mystery, Hemsley states il