Evening star., 1917-10-31
NEW MUM NAMED
FOR GEN. PERSH|NG
Brilliant Bloom at the Show
Christened Formally Under
Stars and Stripes.

Gen. Pershing today assumed COM
mand of the allied forces. He stood
forth gloriously in front Of the brill
liant array, with Gen. Joffre" close at
hand, while the STARS and Stripes"
were unfurIed above him. and United
States Marines and French engineers
stood at attention.
This happened not in the trenches on
the west front. but in the greenhouses
of the United States Department of
Agriculture. 14th and 8 streets north
west. where all is in readiness for the
opening Of the seventeenth annual
chrysanshemum show tomorrow morn
ing at 9 o'clock.
The Gen. Pershing" is the newest and
most brilliant bloom that the Depart
ment of Agriculture greenhouses has
produced. 1t is of a purplish, red
senta. that seems to be a blend
ing of the Red. White and Blue"
which Is waving above Cen Pershings s
overseas force The petals are of re-
fiex formation, which lean from the
hart ou, incline toward silver
silver lining to the dark war clouds
that are hanging thick over Europe.
Name Proposed by Senator Lee.
1t was Senator Blair Lee of Mary
land who proposed the name for the
Gen. Pershing." He was one of those
privileged to inspect the blooms IN
advance of the show. Today there was
a formal ceremony. DR.. Karl F. Keller
man, assistant chief of the bureau of
plant industry, tremendously chriSten-
ed the bloom, while allied soldiers stood
at attention beside the plant. Then DR..
kellerman placed a small United States
flag above the bloom and there 1t will
stay during the show. DR.. William A.
Taylor. chief of the bureau. had intend
ed 10 ofiiciate at this ceremony, but was
unexpectedly called from the city.
A similar ceremony was conducted
over the Gen. Joffre," where the tri-
color of France was set up. officials of
the Department of Agriculture and sew
eral specially invited guests from other
government departments were present
at this little celebration.
Show to Close Wednesday Night.
The mum" show will continue from
o'clock tomorrow morning until 9
o'clock next Wednesday night 1t will
be open to the public. free of charge
each day from am. until 9 pm. in
Guiding Sunday. and the greenhouses
will be lighted by electricity in the
evenings
In addition to the large japanese
blooms are hundreds Of rom-pom seed
lings These are the snowy little plants
that are original each year with the
government greenhouses, and are named
after prominent Washington people
The first one of these to be named this
year is the Mrs. Blair Lee" which is
of a deep red. and of the crown bud
style of bloom. where the central bud
comes first into bloom with three or
four other buds around it as halo.
bloom
War Bride" which was one Of the
surprises Of the show last year.
Other Pretty Blooms.
The next one to be named was ROSA
mond." after a very pretty little whole
hearted girl from the witch city. Salem,
Aug Aueus,a which s'sr Was Ieob pqobab'S the the
most attractive Seeding pom-pom in
last years show They are both of a
feathery pink and luxuriant bloom.
Banked in the greenhouse that has
santhemums rise to the level Of few
feet. or tower almost to the glass roof.
The eyes see varieties ranging from
purest white to deep scarlet, while an
other sense is delighted by the almost
imperceptible odor of the admired
blooms.
AS always, new varieties are to be
shown this year. in addition to the Fla
niEgo, Queen Mary, Dawn OF Day-favor-
ties last season-and the others most
praised at past shows.
Some Newcomers Listed.
Among the newcomers are the Golden
Champion. an Australian variety of light
golden bronze never before grown in this
country; the Mrs G. C. Mason, an Eng
lish variety Of crimson and bronze gold ::
the Louisa Pocket. of purest white. named
for his wife by the Australian grower !:
the Miss Anola Wright. whose tail stern
bears rose pink flower. the Bol dor,
whose French name seems justified by
the clear maize yellow of its bloom; the
II. H. Heinz. an anemone novelty of light
canary yellow with a deep orange center :;
the Yellow Prince. another anemone type !;
the Cemencia, deep pink with a deeper
pink in the center, also kin to the anen1o-
..e.s; the President John Everett, of cha
nlois buff; the William H. Waite of a
deep warm bronze so brilliant as to
seem almost shading to scarlet
Each succeeding year sees greater in
terest in the chrysanthemum shows, and
the guardians of the flowers expect this
years attendance to set a new record
Last years attendance. largest Up to that
time, passed the 10000 mark.