THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 117 



Propertiks and Hybridizixg. — The attention, of the cultivator should 

 be chiefly directed to the form of the flower ; in habit and colour it can 

 scarcely be improved. Flowers that collapse are not worth growing, 

 however fine their colours, except it be to furnish pollen for hybridizing 

 flowers of good shape. The broader the segments and the smoother the 

 edges, the higher will the flower rank in the eye of the florist, and de- 

 servedly so. In selecting varieties to propagate from cuttings, or to pro- 

 duce seed, give the preference to those that exhibit an expanded flat 

 surface with small spaces between the petals. As regards colours, these 

 should be bright and decided ; the markings sharp on clear grounds ; yel- 

 low is the most common hue, and white the most rare. In every endeavour 

 to improve the mimulus, the hybridizer should select for the seedling- 

 flowers those that have thick broad petals, and that most nearly approach 

 a circular outline, and for pollen, flowers that are the most brilliantly and 

 regularly coloured ; if the pollen flower is also well formed there is the 

 greater chance of a pod of seed worth saving. 



Greenhouse Species and Varieties. — M. cardinalis is the parent of 

 the best show varieties we possess. The original species grows to a height 

 of two feet, and produces fine scarlet flowers. Seedlings vary to all the 

 shades of rose, ruby, maroon, pink, and crimson, and if crossed with 

 roseiis, Smithii, and variegatus, some very showy strains may be secured. 

 Cardinalis is a native of California, and was introduced in 1835. M. 

 roseiis has small flowers of regular shape, with yellow throat and bright 

 rose petals, it is one of the most beautiful in cultivation. Mr. Douglas 

 sent seeds of this to England from North California in 1831, and it was 

 first flowered in the gardens of the Horticultural Society. This is strictly 

 a perennial, and is not so easily cultivated as most others of the genus. 

 The best method of treatment is to keep it constantly in the frame or 

 greenhouse, potted in turfy loam three parts, sandy peat one part, and 

 leaf- mould one part, and the pot always in a pan of water except during 

 cold winter weather. It is easily increased by cuttings and occasionally 

 ripens seeds. M. variegatiis is a native of Chili, introduced by the Messrs. 

 Loddiges. This is described in some works as white and rose, but this is 

 not correct. The throat is a jjale canary, and the segments of the flower 

 are deeply tipped with rosy purple, the remaining parts being a rich gold 

 yellow. This species seeds freely, and is not at all difficult to cultivate. 

 M. glutinosus is now a rare plant. It is the most shrubby of all, and well 

 worth recovering tor crossing with good varieties of weak habit. Smithii 

 is a fine hybrid raised some years ago by Mr. George Smith from rivularis 

 as the male parent and variegatus as the female. The flower is large, the 

 ground colour orange yellow, at the tip of each petal is a large brownish, 

 crimson blotch, and there are small spots of the same around the throat. 



Twelve Finest Exliibition Varieties (Downie, Laird, and Lang). — 

 Alexander Haig, light lemon, dark maroon margin ; Danecroft Beauty, 

 white with crimson blotches ; Distinctus, lemon, deep crimson margin ; 

 Grand Sultan, pure white throat, black margin ; Lydia, bright yellow and 

 crimson; Magniflora, white and cherry; Mrs. Dickson, yellow, crimson 

 blotches ; Mrs. E. Lockart, white and maroon; Raphael, pure gold margin 

 and deep claret ; Spotted Gem, gold and maroon ; Sultan, yellow and 

 purple ; Symmetry, straw, spotted with cherry red. 



MtMULUs FOR Bedding. — All the hybrids are adapted for bedding, 

 and, as a matter of course, the dwarfest are most easily managed. On 



