Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 36.djvu/550

534 rises to a passion. With the Japanese, who love flowers above every other decoration, the chrysanthemum holds the place of honor, and, as the golden chrysanthemum, is the highest national decoration. It is usual with them to name women after flowers, and "Madame Chrysanthemum" is much favored. A custom prevails among them at chrysanthemum-time of covering human



figures with a coating of clay and arranging chrysanthemums upon them, in colors, in imitation of their dress-goods; these manikins may represent men playing some scene of action (Fig. 3), or women making or offering tea (Fig. 4). The figures are placed on exhibition, and an admission fee is charged for seeing them.

Not all chrysanthemums can be cultivated here in the open air. Some of the choicest varieties, true to their Eastern origin, are too tender for our chilly autumns, and need to be sheltered. But they pay well for the attention, by preserving a brighter verdure, and fresher and more brilliant colors. Some effort has been made, by heading in and otherwise trimming the plants, to make them grow into particular shapes, but the practice has not become very extensive.

Chrysanthemums thus combine the advantage of blooming in the autumn and late into the winter, and submitting to various trimmings, and assuming diverse aspects. The cultivation of