256 GENERAL REVIEW. 



' Bot. Mag.,' t. 238) is one of the oldest exotic species, and was 

 introduced to our gardens about the year 1700, and its double- 

 flowered variety is still occasionally grown as a flower-garden 

 plant. It is a native of the Cape, and may be propagated from 

 cuttings, or occasionally from seeds which are produced by 

 semi-double-flowered individuals. S. mikanoides, or "German 

 Ivy," is a fresh, green-leaved, scandent species, also from the 

 Cape, and it is much used in North Europe and in America as 

 a room or window ornament. S. macroglossus is also a Cape 

 species, with glossy ivy-like foliage, and large eight-rayed pale- 

 yellow flowers fully two inches in diameter (see ' Bot. Mag.,' t. 

 6149). By far the noblest species in cultivation, however, is 

 Senecio pulcher (see ' Bot. Mag.,' t. 5959), which grows from two 

 to four feet in height, bearing large purple-rayed flowers nearly 

 three inches in diameter, each having a clear yellow disc. The 

 intelligent hybridiser will do well to keep his attention fixed on 

 this noble Composite, as seminal variation and superior culture 

 may be potent enough to originate new forms of it, especially 

 if aided by cross-fertilisation or hybridism. It is a half-hardy 

 species from South Brazil, and flowers late in the autumn, just 

 before the frosts. Grown in pots in a warm sunny greenhouse 

 or conservatory, its flowers rival in size and brilliancy those of 

 the Chrysanthemum. Root-cuttings grow freely. 



Tragopogon (Salsify). A well-known genus of Composites, 

 principally natives of Europe and the temperate parts of Asia. 

 T. porrifolius is the common Salsify, a biennial, native of Eng- 

 land and Europe. Readily propagated from seeds, this crop 

 requires two years to complete its growth. Linnaeus obtained 

 a hybrid ( T. hybriduni) between T. pratense and T. porrifolius 

 in 1759. He fertilised the flowers of T. pratense with his own 

 hand (after having emasculated its own flowers) with the pollen 

 of T. porrifolius ; and from the seeds which resulted from this 

 cross, T. hybridum was raised this plant being intermediate, 

 and bearing purple flowers, the florets being yellow at the base. 



Zinnia. A showy genus of Mexican annuals, represented 

 in our gardens by numerous forms of Z. elegans, and more 

 recently by a hybrid race between Z. elegans and Z. Ghiesbreghtii, 

 a yellow-flowered plant known in gardens under the names of 

 Z. Haageana, Z. aurea, or Z. mexicana. All are readily propa- 

 gated by seeds sown in heat in March, or in the open air in 

 May. These plants have been much improved in French and 

 German gardens. M. Leon Lille, Cours-Mourand a Lyon, 

 hybridised Z. Ghiesbreghtii with pollen of Z. elegans in 1864, 

 and the twenty or thirty fertile seeds obtained by this union 

 produced about twenty plants, only one of which was- remark- 



