806 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
GARDEN FLOWERS—THEIR DEVELOPMENT AND 
VARIATION. 
PROF. WM. ROBERTSON, ST. ANTHONY PARK. 
This is a very innocent looking subject at first sight; but when we 
consider that ordinary flowers, such as asters, crysanthemums, 
camelias, pinks, peonies and roses, have been cultivated from time 
immemorial, that development and variation have been going on 
all the time; and again that climate, soil, moisture, light, the kind 
of cultivation, crossing, hybridization, grafting, cutting, layering, 
division, forcing and selection have had their part in the process; 
when, in fact, we realize that in a five-minute paper we are to clear 
up the whole subject of evolution in life and settle the disputes of 
Darwin and all the other naturalists of the century, we approach 
the task with a feeling of gratification at the confidence reposed in 
us and a due appreciation of the magnitude of the undertaking. In 
other words, we can hope to do nothing more in this five minutes 
than to mention some of the principles and facts regarding devel- 
opment and variation of flowers. 
Plants in their natural or wild state are crowded and have to 
struggle for existence. They have to settle into the niches left by 
other plants. Like people under similar circumstances, they main- 
tain a kind of equilibrium but show no special development, This 
explains the comparative lack of variation and development among 
wild flowers. Man discovers the increased vigor of the plant which 
stands alone. He takes up the battle for the plant, destroying un- 
desirable plants, and giving more room and, hence, more food to 
the desirable ones, This is the beginning of cultivation. Under 
this stimulus of extra food the settled equilibrium of the plant is 
disturbed, and development begins. 
Next we have the influence of unconscious selection. Seed is 
naturally selected from the plant most pleasing, and this seed soon 
will produce offspring having the pleasing quality in a higher 
degree. As the cultivation rises in quality, the plantin its improved 
condition increases its variability. New qualities in either foliage, 
flower or fruit are observed and are likewise strengthened by un- 
conscious selection. 
Later, the effect of this selection having been realized by man, he 
takes up the work systematically, and produces his heart’s desire 
in nearly any flower he chooses, Here is an example: “In 1793 
some wild Scotch roses were transplanted into a garden. One bore 
flowers slightly tinged with red; seedlings from this flower were 
semi-double, and by continued selection in about nine or ten years 
eight sub-varieties were raised. In the course of less than twenty 
years, these double Scotch roses had so much increased in number 
and kind, that twenty-six well-marked varieties, classed in eight 
sections, were described by Mr. Sabine. In 1841, it is said that 300 
varieties could be procured in gardens near Glasgow; and these are 
described as blush, crimson, purple, red, marbled, two-colored, 
white and yellow, and as much differing in size and shape of the 
flower.” 
