From Our Own Correspondent, Yangchow, Oct. 27.
This ig the season for chrysanthemums in Yangchow. In the country not far' beyond the north gate are a number of gardens where these flowers are being cultivated. There- are no auspicious greenhouses, nor is there an arched. entrance to mark the locality; the flowers are planted near the houses amidst vegetable plots and fruit. trees, but present an array of colour which makes them conspicuous from afar. There are many rows, containing hundreds of small potted plants whose buds are just opening. The flowerg in full bloom are also in rows, each cluster of from three to six or more being borne on the'stock of a weed to which it has been grafted. Grafting of the chrysanthemum on. the weed takes place in the early spring, the weed being mugwort, called '"'ai"' in Chinese. The method of grafting this flower is not a new one in China, old gardeners de-claving that it has been handed down to them through generations, The clusters stand about three feet above ground, the petals varying in colour from white and yel low to purple or deep maroon, some being golden brown streaked with yellow or white, others crime son above, bright yellow beneath—a great many varieties. Each stock, cut well below the grafted portion, gells for three coppers and the potted plants fort about 10 cents. A chrysanthemum show is held annually at a tea len a bamboo grove on the canal skirting the north wall; this will take place in the near future.
This city is well known for its output of vegetables. The autumn: crop is now being gathered, farmers entering the city each morning with beet, pea, carrot leaves and Chinese cabbage, or pao tsai, the latter being abundant and! selling as low as 7 cash a ching. Many people lay in a stock of cabbage to last through the cold, unproductive winter months, preserving it with brine and serving it for breakfast and supper along with rice gruel. Fresh roasted peanuts and sweet potatoes are to be had on almost every street corner and attract foreigners as well as Chinese. A good grade of rice may be purchased at $9.20 per tan.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.