398 REPORT OF THE CONFERENCE ON GENETICS. 
Sydney had effected the same cross has led me to believe that there is 
nothing remarkable about it. 
I will now briefly refer to the unreliability of sports, as male parents, 
to impart colour in the chrysanthemum. One or two instances must 
suffice to illustrate what has proved invariably the rule in practice. Ina 
general way colour can be well controlled in the chrysanthemum. ‘T'wo 
varieties raised by me and well known in England may serve to explain 
my meaning. ‘Lady Trevor Lawrence’ x ‘H. Cannell’ resulted in 
‘Oceana,’ and ‘Edwin Molyneaux’ x ‘Stanstead Surprise’ produced 
‘Australie.’ This is a fair example of control of colour. But when 
‘Mme. Carnot’ x ‘Charles Davis’ were used, there was not the 
slightest indication that ‘Charles Davis’ was the male parent, as all the 
resultant plants were either shades of deep mauve, or amaranth, which 
pointed conclusively to ‘ Vivian Morell’ from which ‘ Charles Davis’ had 
sported. ‘Mrs. Barclay’ x ‘G. I. Warren’ behaved much in the same 
way as if ‘Mme. Carnot’ had been the pollen parent. Many other 
instances could be mentioned which show more conclusively than in 
any other way that these sportive characters, at least in the chrys- 
anthemum, are only superficial changes which are incapable of being 
imparted toanother. The same may apply to the numerous sports among 
roses ; but as far as my experience goes it cannot be so easily proved, as 
with very few exceptions the rose appears to be the most uncontrollable, 
as regards colour, among any of the popular flowers that I have 
manipulated. 
I now pass on to the Bowvardia. It is now more than ten years since 
I commenced to manipulate the Bouwvardia, which, by the way, does 
remarkably well in this climate, and treated as “ cut-backs’’ with good 
culture frequently attains the height of six to eight feet in one season, 
and flowers profusely for at least six months in the year. I thoroughly 
believe in an hybridist or plant-breeder having preconceived and definite 
aims, well thought out, before any action is taken. This involves 
the choice of parents, which is perhaps the most important factor in 
assuring success in any future operation, whether it concern fruits, flowers, 
or vegetables. To a very large extent, on a female parent that can be 
relied upon to produce good stock, hinges the success or otherwise of 
future crosses. And when one is found (and there are not too many), 
work it in all directions, until another is proven to be better. This does 
not always involve the highest type in these respective kinds, as we shall 
presently see in reference to the Bouvardia. In going through the 
best cultivated varieties of Bowvardia I was struck with the very large 
sweet-scented flowers of Hwmboldtw corymbiflora in comparison with 
such varieties as ‘President Cleveland,’ Hogarthii, Vreelandu, ‘ Priory 
Beauty,’ and others of similar size and form. My aim was thus fixed to 
get the large flowers of H. corymbiflora, combined with the larger 
truss and more free-flowering qualities of the smaller flowered section. 
With this object in view I chose H. corymbiflora as the seed parent on 
account of its naturally seeding freely, which very few of the other . 
varieties do at all. I do not say they are sterile, as the composition of 
the soil and environment are such important factors in bringing about 
fertility, that it is a difficult matter to decide when anything ig 
