Mutations in Horticulture 627 



possible about the methods of production of 

 their novelties. Hence it is simply impossible 

 to decide the question on the basis of the ex- 

 perience of the breeders. Even in the case of the 

 same novelty arising in sundry varieties of the 

 same species, the question as to common origin, 

 by means of crossing, is often hard to decide, 

 as for instance in moss-roses and nectarines. 

 On the other hand, instances are on record 

 where the same novelty has appeared at differ- 

 ent times, often at long intervals. Such is the 

 case with the butterfly-cyclamen, a form with 

 wide-spreading petals which originated in 

 Martin's nursery in England. The first time it 

 was seen it was thought to be of no value, and 

 was thrown away, but when appearing for a 

 second time it was multiplied and eventually 

 placed on the market. Other varieties of Cycla- 

 men, as for instance the crested forms, are also 

 known to have originated repeatedly. 



In concluding this series of examples of hor- 

 ticultural mutations, I might mention two 

 cases, which have occurred in my own experi- 

 mental garden. The first refers to a tubular 

 dahlia. It has ray-florets, the ligules of which 

 have their margins grown together so as to 

 form tubes, with the outer surface correspond- 

 ing to the pale under-surface of the corolla. 



This novelty originated in a single plant in a 



