128 Remarks on the Production of new varieties 



of horticultural improvement, what two sorts will produce a su- 

 perior variety. 



Among the other plants we did not observe much that was 

 new. Calceolaria pallida, a very handsome species, was in 

 bloom. Alonsoa integrifolia, a much more desirable species 

 than incisifolia, was flowering beautifully, .^cdcia verticillata, 

 and other common plants, were also blooming, 



Mr. Floy has a most excellent collection of dwarf peach and 

 nectarine trees; they are entirely free from the borer, canker and 

 gum, and have fine heads; he has several budded on plum stocks. 

 The soil is light and suited to their growth, and we have never 

 seen any in the vicinity of Boston so handsome. His other 

 trees are very good, but we had no time to walk through the 

 grounds. Mr. Floy, Jr. is pretty well acquainted with fruits^ and 

 is now giving much attention to their growth. 



Art. II. Remarks on the Production of new varieties of dif- 

 ferent Flowers from Seed. By An Amateur. 



I HAVE read with considerable interest your excellent remarks 

 in the March number of your Magazine, (p. 97,) " On the Pro- 

 duction of new varieties of Flowers, from Seed, by Cross 

 Fertilization." This is, indeed, a most interesting branch of 

 floriculture; and to one adapted to it by the necessary patience 

 and perseverance, it is decidedly the most interesting depart- 

 ment. Such a person will judge of the probable effect to be 

 produced by a combination of the qualities of two different flow- 

 ers belonging to the same genus; he selects the plant that com- 

 bines the most good qualities for his mother plant, and then 

 gathers the farina from the anthers of another, whose fine color, 

 good form, or other good quality he wishes to add to, or mingle 

 with, those of his mother plant, and applies it to the pistil of 

 that plant; as the fruit sets, he carefully watches it, guarding it 

 from accident, &c. until its seed is matured, when he secures 

 that. His next business is, at the proper season, to plant the 

 seed, giving it bottom heat, or shade, or both, as it may require. 

 The seed vegetates, grows; he pricks the little plants into small 

 sized pots, gives them the necessary attention and protection, 

 repotting them as they grow, initil at last the expanding flower 

 bud blushes into life the new and lovely addition to the flower 

 garden. During the whole of this process, a most singular af- 

 fection is felt by the operator for his little nursehngs. However 



