14 THE AQUARIUM, OCTOBER, 1892. 
other. In the one case the species have 
struggled with each other until each 
one has attained to a degree of diver- 
gence which allows it to persist, while 
in the other case there has been no 
struggle between the species, but simi- 
lar conditions have brought about simi- 
lar results. These similar species which 
appear independently of each other in 
different places are called representa- 
tive species. Islands remote from each 
other, but similarly situated with ref- 
erence to climate, very often contain 
such species, and the same may be 
said of other regions much like each 
other. Now it follows that if rep- 
resentative species are less opposed 
than others, they are more likely to 
hybridize with good results; and this 
fact is well illustrated in the Kieffer 
and allied pears, which are hybrids be- 
tween representative species of Europe 
and Japan. We will also recall that 
the hybrid grapes which have so far 
proved most valuable are those obtained 
by Rogers between the American Vitis 
labrusca and the European wine grapes 
and that the attempts of Haskell and 
others to hybridize associated species of 
native grapes have given, at best, only 
indifferent results.” 
Touching on hybridization the 
essayist says:—‘‘among the various 
characters of hybrid offspring, the 
most prejudicial one is their instability; 
it is difficult to fix any particular form 
which we may secure in the first gen- 
eration of hybrids; and, therefore, we 
find that the great majority of the 
best hybrids in cultivation are increased 
by bud propagation, as cuttings. layers, 
suckers, buds or grafts. In fact, there 
are few instances of undoubted hybrids 
which are propagated with practical 
certainty by means of seeds. 
This simply means that it is difficult 
to fix hybrids so that they will come 
true to seed, and makes apparent the | 
fact that if we desire hybrids we must 
expect to propagate them by means of 
buds.” 
Professor Bailey sums up his able 
paper in the following words: ‘ En- 
courage in every way crosses within the 
limits of the variety and in connection 
with change of stock, expecting in- 
crease in vigor and _ productiveness. 
Hybridize, if you are curious to know 
what nature will do about it, but do it 
carefully, honestly, thoroughly, and do 
not expect too much, Extend Darwin’s 
famous proposition to read like this : 
Nature abhors both perpetual self-fer- 
tilization and hybridization.”’— Florists’ 
Hachange. 
BAMBOO. 
Among the foreign plants which 
have been tried to be naturalized in 
France, one of the most useful is that 
‘¢treasure of China,” the bamboo M. 
Amiral Auilio has sent to the Garden 
of Acclimatization a particular variety 
of bamboo, which, it seems, will very 
easily acclimatize, as well as two other 
kinds from M. Simon, French Consul 
in China. These latter, cultivated in 
the South, in the environs of Nimes, 
have answered all the hopes formed of 
them, and are used in the industry of 
light fancy furniture, tables. chairs, 
stools and etageres. These bamboos, 
now become French, are already the 
object of a commerce of export to Eng- 
land. ‘This grass is most hardy, and 
little susceptible in its nature ; for it is 
found in regions where there are fifty 
degrees of heat to support, as well as in 
countries where the winters are rigor- 
