May 1, 1SGG.] 



SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



10? 



A reference to the accompanying figures will, 

 perhaps, best explain tbese peculiarities. 



Exactly tbese same differences are found in otber 

 primroses besides the wild ones, and polyanthus 

 growers have, I believe, given to the two kinds of 

 flowers the names of "pin centres" and "rose 

 centres," and because the rose-centred flowers have 



Fig. 106. Pin Centre. 



undoubtedly a richer appearance, a polyanthus is 

 not considered by the florists to be worth growing 

 if it have a phi centre. 



Fig. 107. Rose Centre. 



But, for the botanist, there arise some rather 

 curious speculations with regard to rose centres and 

 pin centres. Thus, the primrose is apparently 

 branching off into two distinct varieties ; will the 



gulf widen, and there be at last two species ? 

 Or, do the pin-centred flowers show a tendency to 

 lose their stamens, and the rose centres their 

 pistils, and the primrose become eventually dioe- 

 cious ? 



Again, referring to the figures, it will be evident 

 that in the rose-centred flower the pollen will natu- 

 rally fall from the stamens on to the pistil, and it 

 will thus be self-impregnated. In the pin-centred 

 flower, the pistil is in such a position that it 

 cannot be fertilized by pollen from its own sta- 

 mens, and it must depend upon insects bringing 

 pollen to it from other flowers. Darwin says that 

 the seeds of self-impregnated flowers do not pro- 

 duce such robust plants as seed that has been 

 fertilized by pollen from another individual. If this 

 be the case, and if "a struggle for life" is going 

 on amongst species or varieties, will there not 

 come a time when the rose centres will have been 

 " elbowed out " and become extinct, and when 

 florists must admire the pin-centred flowers or none 

 at all ? But are the rose-centred flowers always 

 self-impregnated, or do the little black fellows that 

 one finds so often in primroses carry pollen from 

 one to another ? Are the pin-centred flowers never 

 self-impregnated, or does the pollen work its way 

 up the pistil by means of moisture and capillary 

 attraction ? Are rose centres less robust than pin 

 centres ? Are they more or less plentiful ? Do the 

 seeds of rose centres and pin centres always produce 

 plants like the parent ? 



Here is work for field naturalists — questions to 

 be solved, the answers to which will not be un- 

 interesting or unimportant. The hedgebanks are 

 covered with primroses, and investigation will not 

 only be a profitable, but a pleasant task. 



Robert Holland. 



FRENCH MARIGOLD {Calendula officinalis). 



fTHIIS plant is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, 

 -*- and named in Erance Souci de Jard'ui ; in 

 Germany, Goedblume. Loudon says, "The Mary- 

 gold was introduced into England in 1572, from 

 the south of Europe, and named Calendula, be- 

 cause it may be found in flower during the calends 

 of every month." According to Linnocus, these 

 flowers are open from nine in the morning until 

 three in the afternoon. Bullein, who wrote in 1562, 

 mentions, "TheMarygold with golden yellow flowers, 

 named Caltha or Calendula, because it flowereth in 

 the kalends of the year, and is named Solsequinum 

 because it openeth his flower and turneth at day 

 after the sun, and closeth in his golden beams at 

 night. The flowers will change the hair and make it 

 yellow." It is the corolla that yields a fine orange 

 colour. In the olden time, good housewifes ex- 

 tracted this juice to colour cheese. It seems evident 



