Hybrids and Garden Varieties. 



233 



Unsuccessful attempts were made with N. scutifolia X dentata and 

 the reverse ; N. scutifolia X rubra and reverse ; N. odorata x rubra, and 

 N. ortgiesiana x caerulea. It is notable that all of these failures involved 

 two subgenera. 



It would be interesting, could we trace any definite and constant 

 relations among hybrids. A diagram of the pedigree of some of the 

 best known varieties may aid in this. We select N. omarana and the 

 " rose aitd red " flowered hybrids of N. Queen Elizabeth and dentata. 

 In each couple we place the pollen parent above. 



N. dentata 

 N. dentata 

 N. dentata 

 N. dentata 

 N. lotus 

 N. lotus 

 N. lotus 

 N. rubra 



N. dentata 



N. dentata 



N. lotus 



N. devoniensis 



N. dentata 



N. sturtevantii 



N. omarana 



According to this a single infusion of JV. rubra has sufficed to 

 produce a rich magenta color in the fourth generation. But in Mr. 

 Bisset's new N. dentata magnifica (JV. omarana x dentata), the tide is 

 completely turned and the flower is pure white. The next instance, 

 however, is like that of N. omarana, viz. : 



}, 



dentata 



N. dentata 

 N. dentata 

 N. dentata 

 N. dentata 



iV. ortgiesiana 1 ., . . 



N. ortgiesiana } N.ortpesuma ) 



N. dentata 



1 



[ N. dentata 



J 



.V. lotus 

 N. rubra 



}, 



} N. Queen Elisabeth 



' Rose and red flowers. 



devoniensis J 



Is red, then, a dominant color in the Mendellian sense, and is it 

 therefore primitive ? Discussion would at present be wholly speculative 

 and had best be omitted. A wide field for investigation is opened up. 

 But none of our garden stock can be warranted pure enough to start 

 on. We need fresh importations of the natural species, and a careful 

 comparison of a large number of sister plants. The custom of gardeners 

 is to discard all seedlings whose foliage does not give indications of the 

 desired results ; consequently only certain types have been preserved 

 for us. 



