PARTICULAR INFLUENCE OF EACH PARENT OF HYBRIDS. 255 
reversed cross is very striking. Here has guttata had the effect of 
causing the inflorescence to be entirely pendent. 
Compare the three figures, ‘‘ Gartenflora,’’ 1897, p. 378. 
In some cases the influence of the father may indeed affect the leaves 
also, as in 
19. Billbergia hybrida Hoelscheriana, Kittel(nutans 2? x Saundersii ¢ ), 
wherein the leaves are dotted more or less with translucent points, as in 
Saundersil ; they have also been somewhat broadened, and are not so 
narrow as in nutans. The habit is otherwise like the mother’s: especially 
is the inflorescence pendent, while the light blue edge of the petals of 
nutans is turned into a beautiful indigo blue (‘ Gartenflora,” 1898, 
p- 286). 
Conclusion.—If{ we now proceed to answer our two questions put up 
at the beginning of this article we may say :— 
1. The floral parts are usually more influenced by the father, 
the vegetative parts by the mother. 
2. The influence of the mother is usually greater. 
But I must remark that M. Léon Duval, of Versailles, holds the 
opposite opinion to mine. In ‘‘ Gartenflora,’’ 1895, p. 20, he says that 
the influence of the father is shown mainly in the habit of the plant, and 
that of the mother in the inflorescence. 
“Tf 1,” says M. Duval, “wish to reduce the volume of a plant, I 
fertilise the larger with the size smaller; to increase it, I fertilise the 
smaller with the larger.” 
Mr. Tropp remarks, supplementary to this, that amongst Orchids it 
isalso thus, but not always. 
In my opinion, however, as I have stated above, the mother has the 
more influence upon the habit ; the father the more wpon the inflorescence, 
at léast upon its colour. It would be interesting to hear the opinion of 
the Congress hereupon. 
