July 31, 186(1. 1 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENRR. 



propagating the sports. Tho small eeeffluuj plants of almost are!} 

 kind of variolated plan! are so extremely detitsate in textan, that they 

 perish in a few days after the goods have geTrtdnated, I have noticed 

 this in thousands of instances with small seedling variegated Pelar- 

 goniums ; none of these, or any other small BeetLUnc viun -tihd plants, 

 have, any of the primary colours into which a ray of light from the sun 

 may be decomposed : hence their quirk decay. 



It frequently happens that our side of the seedling plant will come 

 Tariegated, whilst the Opposite part will be ipiite gseftO, mid in most 

 instances the validation breaks out in that part of the sf in of the 

 plant just at or a little abovo the position of the seed leaves, tithe 

 vaxiegated portion of the plant is not too delicate, I have found by 

 pinching the green part gradually away, the variegated portion will 

 predominate us the plant grOWB, and in a short time will a0Btiitt6 the 

 mastery over the green portion. This operation, however, must lie 

 performed very gradually, by pinching or cutting away portions of the 

 green leaves hy il.'"ivi's ; the plant may then he perpetuated, and the 

 work of propagation may he commenced as soon as the plant has sufh- 

 riont strength to beai decapitating. 



To further illnsira-te the difficulty of perpetnafing variegated plants 

 from seed, 1 may mention that three years ago I found a plant of the 

 common (inmiul^el iSeneeio vulgaris,), beautifully variegated. I at 

 once took means to prevent the birds from taking the seeds, and the 

 plant from suffering any injury. I also iieipiently watched, so that I 

 might secure all the seed, thinking I should he able to perpetuate it, 

 and by fertilising the double 1 garden varieties with it in the following 

 year, should be able to produce a new and very handsome varisgsrted 

 bedding plant ; hut I was doomed to disappointment. In the spring 

 following, the seeds were sown, and tended with every care, and I 

 believe nearly every seed grew, but not one lived more than three 

 days after their appearance above the surface of the soil. Another 

 variegated form appeared tho same year — namely, a plant of the com- 

 mon Celery (Apium graveolens), became also beautifully variegated ; 

 the seed was carefully preserved till the following year, when it was 

 sown, and produced plants, tho leaves of which were as white as milk. 

 These lived till they had made the second pair of leaves, when they 

 also died. Another case wa3 that of a variegated Verbena. The 

 plants from this also died. I could name many other instances which 

 have come under ray notice, but, I think, the above will be deemed 

 Sufficient for my present purpose. • 



I will now describe my experience with another class of plants that 

 I have watched very minutely for many years past, to show its extra- 

 ordinary sportive . aaraoter, not in the foliage, but in the flower. 



The Verbena has been long and deservedly looked upon as one of 

 the most useful plants in cultivation for flower-garden decoration. 

 The plant being an especial favourite with me, I have for many years 

 been trying a series of experiments in cross-breeding and hybridising 

 it, and four years ago I succeeded in producing a hybrid — the variety 

 now known, by the name of Velvet Cushion. This was, I believe, the 

 first hybrid Verbena ever produced. It was obtained by crossing the 

 old Verbena venosa with the garden varieties. For two years I could 

 not get any seed from the plant ; but other garden varieties that had 

 been fertilised with the pollen from Velvet Cushion seeded very freely, 

 and produced from 10 to ] 5 per cent, of plants of a similar suffruticose 

 habit, with flowers of the same shape and substance, and of various 

 shades of colour. Last year, for the first time, I gathered seeds from 

 plants of Velvet Cushion growing in the open ground. There were 

 other plants of the ordinary kinds of Verbena, such as Purple King, 

 &c, growing near them. These seeds have produced hut very few of 

 the Cushion varieties. Some are exactly like Purple King both in 

 habit and colour, the only difference at present perceptible is the 

 elongation of the truss ; some have produced scarlet flowers, others 

 plum, pink, and, in fact, nearly every shade of colour to be found in 

 the Verbena. This I attribute to the Macroglossa stellafarum, which 

 was very plentiful last summer. It seemed particularly fond of hover- 

 ing over and sipping the sweets from Velvet Cushion. I have fre- 

 quently seen as many as from ten to fifteen at one timo on a small 

 bed. 



Plants of Velvet Cushion, carefully fertilised, have this spring pro- 

 duced some extraordinary forms, some with flowers of immense size, 

 others with small neat habits and liliputian flowers. These are from 

 Velvet Cushion fertilised with the pollen of Maonetti Princess Vic- 

 toria, a most valuable plant !'■ - bedutng-purp'oses, which I obtained, 

 two years ago. bv crossing V< -iwt Cushion with the pollen of Maonetti 

 L'lmpcratriee Elizabeth. The beautiful Scarlet Cushion was pro- 

 duced at the same time by crossing Velvet Cushion with the pollen of 

 Foxhnnter. Velvet Cushion has produced more than fifteen distinct 

 forms of the Verbena this season, of an intermediate section between 

 the Cushion varieties and the Maoii' ttis. Specimens of most of them 

 I hope shortly to place before the Floral Committee of the Royal 

 Horticultural Society. Then,, again, the plants of the common kinds 

 have produced the most out-of-the-way shades of colour, different 

 from those which they have ever done before with me. 



^ The produce of some crimson flowers have been shades of blue, 

 violet, manve, pink, rose, lilac, purple, &e. One plant in particular 

 has produced almost every known shade of colour. This wasa beauti- 

 ful striped variety I raised last year, and as it was a flower of great 

 Eromise, I fertilised it with pollen from a variety of the best flowers I 

 ad, Three of the florets on each truss were fertilised with the same 

 kind of pollen, and care was taken that a clean brush was used for 



every sort of pollen. My idea waR, that it would produce striped flowers 

 in great abundance ; but in this I have hi > n d< I > i.ed, f«>r not a single 

 striped flower has it produced, whilst flowers of tho other varieties, 

 fertilised with the pollen of the striped one, have produced many very 

 fine stripe.-. 



There is no plant I over heard of so sportive and changeable in tho 

 character of its flowers, nor any plant I ever l.inw bo capable oj under- 

 going transformations aR the Verbena. One of the most extraordinary 

 iiislanees is the following: — A flower of the Princess Victoria | -Maonetti) 

 was fertilised with the pollen taken from Scarlet Cushion, with tho 

 view of producing a scarlet Maonetti, instead of which it has produced 

 a plant with foliage very similar to Purple King, and a flower as large 

 as I'l.vhunter, and nearly of the same colour. 



Having given a true statement of these curious phenomena, I must 

 now bring my paper to a close, hoping that the subject may be resumed 

 by some ono who has had longer experience, and who may have more 

 minutely followed up a similar serioBof cross-breeding than I could do, 

 having so many other varied duties to perform in connection with the 

 garden. This also must bo my apology for any defects in this paper, 

 and for the hurried manner in which it has beon written.] 



HORTICULTURAL ENTERPRISE IN THE 

 UNITED STATES AND CANADA. 



No one can even glance through the columns of the rnral 

 journals published in tho United States without being struck 

 with the evidence they furnish as to the activity of mind and 

 business energy which are being put forth in the department 

 of horticulture. Floral novelties, new fruit seedlings or hybrids, 

 ornamental shrubs, for which distant parts of the earth have 

 been ransacked, rare seeds, and choice bulbs never before heard 

 of, are constantly pressing into notice ; and while, of course, 

 many of them are mere pretenders to excellence, and trumpeted 

 forth for money-making purposes, it cannot be gainsayed that 

 we have obtained some very valuable horticultural acquisitions 

 from our neighbours across the lines. In Strawberries and 

 Grapes alone American horticulturists have greatly distin- 

 guished themselves. Of the former, it is only necessary to 

 name Wilson's Albany Seedling, a treasure of untold value to 

 the gardeners, professional and amateur, of this continent. 

 A little acid, it has, nevertheless, qualities which place it im- 

 measurably in advance of all competitors thus far. Yet this 

 magnificent berry will doubtless, ere long, be surpassed by 

 some of the seedlings which enthusiastic horticulturists are 

 testing in their grounds. Of Grapes, we have several most 

 valuable varieties. The originator of the Concord, Mr. Bull, 

 of Concord, Mass., has lived to see his Vine planted by millions 

 from Maine to Minnesota. Dr. Grant, of Now York, and Mr. 

 Bogers, of Salem, Mass., have also achieved important triumphs 

 in Grape seedlings and hybrids. The Grape for America has, 

 however, yet to be produced — if, indeed, our fellow-country- 

 man, Mr. Arnold, of Paris, has not already accomplished what 

 so many have long been aiming at — the combination of the 

 luscious flavour of a glass-grown Grape with the hardiness of 

 an out-door Vine. Hon. M. P. Wilder, of Boston, Mass. — very 

 high authority — in a letter that we have seen, expresses the 

 opinion that Mr. Arnold's will prove the Grape of this conti- 

 nent, and that posterity will " cherish the name and bless the 

 memory " of its originator. To all which we heartily respond, 

 "So may it be!" When it is considered that thousands of 

 seedlings must be grown and tested ere a single variety worth 

 anything is obtained, and also that the process of hybridising 

 is a very slow and difficult one, some idea will be formed of 

 the amount of thought and labour necessary to the production 

 of any real acquisition to our horticultural treasures. While 

 our American neighbours are busily engaged in the search for 

 novelties and improvements in the regions of floral and shrub 

 beauty, they are especially diligent in the realm of fruit. They 

 have produced Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plums, and Cherries 

 that leave nothing further to be desired. In the department 

 of small fruits they have been very assiduous, and have suc- 

 ceeded in obtaining a Gooseberry that defies the mildew, that 

 bane of imported Gooseberries ; some valuable Blackberries, 

 the Kochelle and Kittatiuny, the former a great success in the 

 Midland States, and the latter hardy enough for the most 

 northerly situations. It is questionable if any country be 

 better supplied with fruit in variety and succession than is the 

 United States at the present time. 



These brilliant successes would not have been achieved but 

 for the existence, in pretty considerable development, of horti- 

 cultural tastes among the people. There lias been a healthy 

 demand for everything really valuable, whether it be for orna- 

 ment or use. k Eminently a practical people, the Americans 



