MARCH 17. 1S9S. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review. 



639 



View of the Greenhouses of Mr. F. Burki, Bellevue, Pa. 

 SWITZERLAND TRANSPLANTED. 



and it afterwards develops into the 

 fern as we see it as an object of beauty 

 in the greenhouse or elsewhere. 



From what has been written it is seen 

 that fertilization in ferns talves place 

 when tlie plants are very small and be- 

 fore they take on the form commonly 

 know as that of ferns. It also follows 

 that any attempts at the formation of 

 crosses or hybrids must deal with the 

 prothallia and while they are young. 

 The element that effects the cross is 

 microscopic and goes from one young 

 prothallus to another through the li- 

 quid that is to be found adhering to 

 the underside of the green scales in 

 the seed or rather spore bed. So small 

 are these bodies that it would tax the 

 most delicate hybridizer to make the 

 artificial transfer of the antherozoids. 



However, by growing any two kinds 

 of spores that mature their organs of 

 reproduction at the same time it is pos- 

 sible to effect an occasional cross, and 

 at the same time know by the law of 

 exclusion what the parents must be. In 

 other words, if the spores of all other 

 species than the two in question are 

 excluded, and this is not easy to do as 

 they are light ,Ts dust and may come 

 in with the currents of air, it is reason- 

 able to consider the union of character- 

 istics of the two species as being due 

 to hybridization. 



In the engraving three fern spores are 



shown at a; the germination of the 

 spores is given at b, while at c the pro- 

 thallus is being formed. At d is shown 

 a fully grown prothallus with the an- 

 theridia and archigonia seen as small 

 dots above the portion where hairs 

 are produced. The young fern plant is 

 shown at e as starting from the scale- 

 like prothallus and after this stage of 

 development is reached there is no hope 

 of crossing or making hybrids. 



BYRON D. HALSTED. 

 Rutgers College. 



SWITZERLAND TRANSPLANTED. 



Flower-gro'wing among the Alps of Alle- 

 gheny County, Pa. 



Among the most picturesque groups 

 of planthouses in the country are those 

 of Mr. F. Burki. of Bellevue. Pa., a su- 

 burban town about five miles from 

 Pittsburg. They are situated on the 

 sides and summit of one of the many 

 water-carved hills, three or four hun- 

 dred feet high, that overlook that his- 

 toric waterway the Ohio River. 



The houses run in various directions, 

 although the exposures are mostly sun- 

 ward, are of many styles and sizes, 

 and the hill in some portions is so steep 

 that the visitor feels that he is liable 

 at any time to step off into space. On 

 the grounds nre two or three foreign- 

 looking cottages, several oil derricks 



are still standing in the neighborhood, 

 and this particular Alp is crowned by 

 the fine brick residence of the owner. 



There are 29 planthouses (one range 

 does not appear in the illustration, be- 

 ing located on the slope of the hill be- 

 yond the stable), and 100.000 feet of 

 glass was used in their construction. 

 They are heated by steam from boilers 

 placed at the base of the long hill, and 

 fifteen men and boys are employed in 

 the work carried on here. 



Mr. Burki is a native of Berne, 

 Switzerland, where he learned his first 

 lessons in floriculture, paying for the 

 privilege, is 4.5 years of age, and, to 

 your reporter at least, was pleasant 

 and communicative. 



His holding here contains 16 acres, 

 mostly on edge; and having given up 

 the retail plant trade, he now grows 

 chrysanthemums, carnations, roses, 

 lilies, lily of the valley, etc., which are 

 mainly sold at wholesale in Pittsburg. 

 W. T. BELL. 



SECOND HAND PIPE. 



I can get second hand 2-inch pipe for 

 about one-half the price of new. but it 

 is painted. Will the paint act as a 

 non-conductor, or will the new pipe 

 radiate enough better to pay the ex- 

 tra cost? SUBSCRIBER. 



I would not advise the use of the sec- 



