1882. 



AND HORTICULTURIST 



361 



the seed and made the number two hundred. 

 The seed was sown on May 11th, commenced 

 germinating four weeks after, and continued 

 doing so until August 20th. 



The seedlings I have arranged in nine groups, 

 placing in the first group all those having two 

 or more kinds of colored spots on a green 

 ground, and whose general appearance indicates 

 close relationship to the female parent, Caladium 

 Wighti. But the disturbing influence of the 

 male parent, Caladium Houlleti, has been so 

 prepotent that I question whether a single plant 

 of the progeny will prove to be exactly identical 

 with the female parent. On the other hand, the 

 ninth group, which contains nine seedlings and 

 which are all alike, are exact duplicates of the 

 male parent. 



The seedlings of each group differ, not only 

 from each parent (exception named above), but 

 from each other; sometimes to an almost in- 

 credible degree. Moreover, the groups are well 

 defined and do not graduate into each other, but 

 are perfectly distinct. Nevertheless there is one 

 character which is common to all the seedlings, 

 and in the language of Darwin, betrays the 

 hidden bond of community of descent ; it is the 

 peculiar form of the spots, and their manner of 

 distribution. 



A complete disturbance of colors has resulted 

 from this union. The red and white spots of 

 the parents are supplemented with crimson, 

 carmine, brown, terra cotta, yellow, rose, pink, 

 flesh and parti-colored spots. A dark central 

 spot, not in either parent, is seen in a majority 

 of the plants classed in the first three groups. 

 The next four groups have high colored veins, 

 and these again are shaded on each side with 

 various bright shades of color, which do not 

 appear in the parents. Groups eight and nine 

 have white veins and centre, resembling the 

 male parent in this respect. Every shade of 

 green, I think, is seen in the leaves, from a pale 

 yellowish green, down to what is known as 

 myrtle green. The stems also present a great 

 diversity of color. 



Six of the seedlings are glazed, and this glazing 

 appears on the under side of the leaves in 

 blotches, much as though oil had been spread 

 over the surface and had soaked through. A 

 gentleman connected with an English firm, who 

 visited our place recently, and who is familiar 

 with the latest improvements in this class of 

 plants, declared he had never seen anything like 

 this before. The metallic lustre which adorns a 



majority of the seedlings is an entirely different 

 character. 



Group No. 1 contains fifty seedlings. The 

 greater number of these have red (various 

 shades) and pure white spots; a few have red, 

 white and parti-colored flesh and white spots. 

 One seedling has red, pink, flesh and pure white 

 spots, the dark central spots, dark spotted stems 

 and a brilliant lustre. In another the red and 

 white spots are so deeply oscillated that the leaf 

 has the appearance of parti colored lace work ; 

 among the last to germinate were eight seedlings 

 of this group, with yellow (clay) and white spots. 

 There are also six or seven with terra cotta and 

 white spots. Leaves green. 



Group No. 2 contains fifty seedlings with 

 either white or flesh-colored spots. Leaves 

 green. In these two groups the spots are more 

 numerous than in either parent, in many in- 

 stances covering the entire leaf surface. 



Group No. 3 has a solitary specimen with long 

 sagittate, olive green leaves, red spots, the dark 

 central spot, a brilliant lustre and dark stems. 



Group No. 4 contains one plant. The princi- 

 pal veins are bright crimson, centre of leaf 

 clouded crimson, self-colored rose spots, red 

 stem, and highly glazed. 



In group No. 5 I have placed five plants with 

 yellow foliage, scarlet spots, the centre and 

 veins — in some pearly gray, in others brilliant 

 crimson. 



Group No. G contains thirty-seven seedlings. 

 The veins and centre of leaves brilliantly colored 

 and extending over a large surface, the edges of 

 the leaves green ; the spots are either red, bright 

 pink, cinnamon brown, or terra cotta. 



Group No. 7 contains forty two seedlings. The 

 veins are various shades of red; in one instance 

 they are violet, very little if any centre shading,, 

 excepting two or three seedlings, the spots either 

 white or flesh color. 



Group No. 8 contains nine seedlings. The 

 veins silvery white, with a faint purple pencil 

 mark in the centre of each, pearly gray centre 

 and red spots. 



Group No. 9 contains nine seedlings, all alike, 

 and. as stated above, are simply duplicates of 

 the male parent. 



EDITORIAL NOTES. 



Large Cockscombs.— It is common in England 

 for lovers of plant culture to try their skill in 

 plant growing on the common cockscomb. At 



