THE ASTER FAMILY. 255 



ought to be paid to the Dahlia as an indoor plant, for which 

 it would rival the Chrysanthemum, and its colours are much 

 brighter. In the open air in our climate the Dahlia is cut 

 down by the frost just as it attains its full perfection; but by 

 striking cuttings, or grafting late in the season, we might obtain 

 dwarf plants in pots for winter blooming in a sunny greenhouse, 

 either for decorative, hybridising, or seed-saving purposes. 



A new species (D. grarilis), discovered in Mexico by M. 

 Roezl in 1873, deserves the attention of the intelligent hybrid- 

 iser. It appears that the brilliant single flowers are similar to 

 those of D. coccinea; but the whole plant is much more elegant 

 in habit, and has finely-cut foliage like Cosmos bipinnatus, not 

 simply pinnate as in D. coccinea. It is to be sent out this year 

 (1876) by M. Lemoine of Nancy. D. Decaisneana is another 

 elegant species similar in habit to D. coccinea ; but the ray 

 flowers are deep lilac-purple, with a yellow disc. 



To show the estimation in which new Dahlias of superior 

 quality were held thirty years ago, we may remark that for the 

 entire stock of a large-flowered, dark-shaded red variety raised 

 by C. Sainsbury, Esq. of Swainswick, near Bath, Messrs W. 

 G. Drummond of the same place paid the raiser 100 guineas. 

 This variety was named " Beeswing," and was sent out in 1845 

 at half a guinea per plant. 



Lactuca. A genus represented in our gardens by the numer- 

 ous forms of Lettuce produced by culture, seminal variation, 

 and selection. In 1874, M. Naudin obtained a hybrid be- 

 tween Lactuca virosa and the cultivated variety of L. sativa 

 known as the " Dutch Cos." 



" The hybrid of the first generation was fertile, and from its 

 seeds issued a progeny exceedingly variable, but in which the 

 characteristics of the two species were mixed in varying degrees. 

 Twenty of these were reserved for future study. Of these 

 twenty no two were alike. At the same time, while there was 

 so much variation, so strange an intermixture of the characters 

 of both parents, there was no new character produced nothing 

 which might not be met with in one or other of its parents. 

 The variation, great as it was, was confined within limits which 

 were never overstepped. If we may be permitted the compari- 

 son, M. Naudin's protean Lettuces were like the coloured frag- 

 ments in a kaleidoscope never twice alike, although always 

 consisting of the same elements." See 'Gardeners' Chronicle,' 

 1875* P- 748. 



Senecio {Groundsels}. A genus of free-growing annual or 

 perennial plants, principally natives of temperate countries, and 

 represented in our gardens by several species. S. elegans (see 



