HYBRIDS AND GARDEN VARIETIES. 



233 



Unsuccessful attempts were made with N. scutifolia x dentata and 

 the reverse ; N. scutifolia X rubra and reverse ; N. odorata X rubra, and 

 N. ortgiesiana X caerulea. It is notable that all of these failures involved 

 two subgenera. 



It would be interesting, could we trace any definite and constant 

 relations among hybrids. A diagram of the pedigree of some of the 

 best known varieties may aid in this. We select N. omarana and the 

 " rose and red " flowered hybrids of N. Queen Elizabeth and dentata. 

 In each couple we place the pollen parent above. 



N. dentata ] 

 N. dentata J 

 N. dentata \ 

 N. dentata J 

 N. lotus } 

 N. lotus J 

 N. lotus \ 

 N. rubra J 



- de " tala 



N. dentata 



N. lotus 



N. devoniensis 



i 



N. dentata 



N. sturtevantii 



N. omarana 



According to this a single infusion of N. rubra has sufficed to 

 produce a rich magenta color in the fourth generation. But in Mr. 

 Bisset's new JV. dentata magnified (N. omarana X dentata}, the tide is 

 completely turned and the flower is pure white. The next instance, 

 however, is like that of N. omarana, viz. : 



N. dentata 1 

 N. dentata J 

 N. dentata } 

 N. dentata J 

 N. ortgiesiana 1 

 N. ortgiesiana j 

 N. lotus } 



AT. rubra J 



N. dentata 



N. dentata 



} N. dentata 

 J 



N. ortgiesiana 



} N. Queen Elizabeth 



Rose and red flowers. 



N. devoniensis J 



Is red, then, a dominant color in the Mendellian sense, and is it 

 therefore primitive ? Discussion would at present be wholly speculative 

 and had best be omitted. A wide field for investigation is opened up. 

 But none of our garden stock can be warranted pure enough to start 

 on. We need fresh importations of the natural species, and a careful 

 comparison of a large number of sister plants. The custom of gardeners 

 is to discard all seedlings whose foliage does not give indications of the 

 desired results ; consequently only certain types have been preserved 

 for us. 



