MY LADY CHRYSANTHEMUM'S TOILET TABLE.
The imperfect petals underneath having gone, those outside readily respond to the touch of the instrument and spring into regular formation, while those at the top of the bloom are carefully curled to a common centre and effectively conceal all that was left of the seedy eye.
Under the deft touches of the master hand, the ragged bloom rapidly develops into a thing of greatest beauty. Each curl marks a great improvement, and when it is finished one readily realises how much there is in this as in other things for the amateur to learn.
A final brush up is now all that is necessary. A specially made camel-hair brush accompanies the set of instruments; with this the grower gently brushes the leaves till no speck dims their fair loveliness.
SOME USEFUL ARTICLES ON HER DRESSING-TABLE.
My lady's toilet is now completed, and she is forthwith placed in the show box, which is designed to hold six cupped blooms. This box consists of a slanting platform containing six holes, in which the cups are placed. The two at the top are partially unscrewed, the middle pair not quite so much so, while those at the bottom are screwed in tightly. This is called setting-up, and is an art of itself. It arranges the flowers in tiers, so that those in front do not hide the blooms behind.
Skilled setting-up is worth several points, as it enables the blooms to show themselves off to the best possible effect, and at the same time favourably impresses the judge's eye.
The blooms are shown in specified numbers; generally, thirty-six, twenty-four, or twelve are required from each exhibitor. Nowadays, chrysanthemum blooms attain enormous sizes. We show two specimen blossoms. That known as "Mutual Friend," shown on the previous page, is ten inches in diameter; the other, "Edward Molyneux," at the left hand foot of the same page, is nine inches across. This is about the diameter of an ordinary plate.
Notable sizes are also attained in the plants themselves, and in preparing these for show there are divers little secrets.