IQ2 GENERAL REVIEW. y 



most tropical plants in our hothouses, Aroids are seldom 

 fertilised without aid ; and if good seed be desired, it is neces- 

 sary to resort to artificial impregnation. 



"The susceptibility of the stigma appears to be of the longest 

 duration in Caladiums (perhaps in all species of Caladiuni], 

 hence the chances of fertilisation are proportionately greater. 

 More significant is the fact that they never appear to intercross 

 with one another; at least M. Kellermann never succeeded 

 in effecting a cross between different species of Caladiums. 

 Moreover, whilst Caladiums in general vary very little, or not 

 at all, in the shape and colour of their leaves, one species exists 

 which, even in the wild state, as first demonstrated by Wallis 

 with the specimens he sent to Paris, gives birth to numerous 

 varieties. We may therefore assume that in this case there is 

 no necessity for fertilisation with the pollen from a variety with 

 differently -coloured leaves, and that the pollen of the same 

 variety, though of a different individual, is sufficient to give 

 birth to a series of new varieties of the most diverse colours. 

 Great praise is due to the Parisian druggist, M. Bleu, for what 

 he has done in the way of raising new varieties of this class. 

 Kellermann's hybrids have a decided horticultural value in 

 addition to their botanical interest, for they belong to the most 

 ornamental of plants with fine foliage, and they will thrive well 

 in a dwelling-house. And then equally beautiful variegated 

 forms of Caladium have been raised in Belgium, Germany, 

 &c. Among others, Skopitz, of Petschka, in Bohemia, raised 

 and sent out a long series of fine-foliaged varieties, which were 

 in no respect inferior to those raised by M. Bleu. Unfortu- 

 nately they are very little known abroad, though one of the chief 

 ornaments of most Austrian gardens. 



" Three varieties of Caladium with coloured foliage were 

 known long before Miquel described the green-leaved type 

 under the name of C. surinamense namely, C. pcecile, pellu- 

 tidum, and picturatum. The next variety of remarkable beauty 

 was raised at Schonbrunn, and published under the name of 

 C. h&matostigma. Like C. surinamense and C. pellucidum, it 

 was raised from seed, but in all cases the plants were fertilised 

 with their own pollen. Therefore M. Kellermann is right in 

 saying that Caladiums naturally possess a tendency to vary in 

 the markings of their leaves. No better proof of this is required 

 than that furnished by the green-leaved C. surinamense, whose 

 seeds produce variegated varieties." As to Caladiums, it 

 seems evident that many of the kinds formerly grown in our 

 gardens as species were merely cultivated varieties. 



The first coloured or variegated Caladium cultivated in this 



