88 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
no result whatever. But in the third year I tried again, both ways, and 
I got a number of seeds in each case, which germinated. It struck me 
that possibly either the Dutch bulb was too young or that it was not 
sufficiently acclimatised to afford results either with its pollen or its 
pistil ; for the climate, or the season, or the cultivation \c. may interfere 
with a successful result.” 
Mr. C. C. Hurst has given us the following important conclusion from 
his own experiences: ‘‘ The nigro-hirsute section of Dendrobiums are 
well known to be bad setters. Mr. R. Eichel, of Bradford, tells me that 
for eight years he has failed to cross D. formoswmn with pollen of the 
deciduous section ; but that he has now seedlings two and a half months 
old of D. formosum x D. nobile (male) from four seed-pods. This 
circumstance proves to us once more how misleading and unsatisfactory 
purely negative results are, and in this there is much hope for the future. 
However many times a cross has failed to set, we can never be sure that 
it may not be accomplished by some one. Very trifling conditions seem 
to affect the delicate and susceptible organs of reproduction, causing 
apparent sterility. For instance, it is said that Hpidendrum ciliare can 
only be fertilised with success in the evening, when the flowers begin to 
emit their fragrant perfume; though this did not prove to be the case 
with Mr. Veitch.” 
One of the most unlikely results occurred with Poppies. M. Henry 
L. de Vilmorin succeeded in raising a hybrid between Papaver bracteatum 
and one of the double-flowered varieties of P. somniferum. The seedlings 
were annuals, and bore single carmine-coloured flowers. At first the 
plants were nearly all sterile; but subsequently seed was freely 
produced.* 
With regard to Ferns, Stelzner t describes the hybridisation of two 
species of Gymmnogramma, viz. G. chrysophylla and G. lanata. One 
plant so raised was so different from the parents that Koch named it 
G. Stelzneriana. It proved to be entirely barren. But in 1864 he 
repeated the experiment, and had a number of plants of the hybrid, all 
oi which were wholly fertile. 
M. Naudin experienced a similar result with Daturas : thus, “ D. levis, 
ferox, Stramonium, and quercifolia, four species perfectly distinct, between 
which there are no known intermediates, and moreover they do not 
appear susceptible of variation. Nevertheless, though very distinct, 
these species are sufficiently closely related to admit of reciprocal 
impregnation, and to give rise to hybrids ; which, though sterile at first, 
become very fertile at a more advanced period.”’ § 
One cannot do better than conclude with the hopeful advice of Dean 
Herbert, in alluding to the artificial separation of genera by botanists : 
“Let the cultivator not be discouraged by every nominal generic 
separation; but let him take his own view of apparent affinities, and 
bring the accuracy of those separations to the test.’’ | 
Gard. Chron. 1896, Jan. 11, p. 50. 
Wochenschrift, Berlin, 1859. 
Bull. Bot. Cong., Amsterdam, 1866. 
§ “On Hybridism considered as a Cause of Variability in Vegetables,’’ Jovwn. 
R.H.S. New Series, vol. i. p. 1. 
|| Essay on Hybridisation amongst Vegetables. 
Pitter 
