THE IRIS FAMILY. 349 



third or fourth year, and vary greatly in habit, size, and colour 

 of their flowers. C. vernus, the British spring or vernal purple- 

 flowered species, seeds very freely in the Nottingham meadows. 

 Seeds from the large-flowered Dutch varieties produce very 

 beautiful flowers. It seems very probable to me that the great 

 diversity of colours and breaks observable in plants of this genus 

 have originated from cross-fertilisation or very striking seminal 

 variation in their native habitats. It is a singular fact that while 

 white or purple Crocuses seed abundantly, the yellow varieties 

 seldom do so. Perhaps, however, the reason of this is that 

 their own pollen is impotent, or it may be owing to their having 

 been multiplied by the Dutch florists from offsets for centuries. 

 Self-fertilisation appears to take place in Crocus at any rate ; 

 the anthers frequently discharge their pollen when the flowers 

 are in a very young state often when the flower-bud is only 

 half grown. It is possible, however, that this may be prevented 

 by the much later development of the style, which may become 

 receptive or remain receptive long after its native pollen is shed, 

 so as to facilitate cross-breeding. Many species and varieties 

 of Crocus bear seed more often than is by many supposed, the 

 seed-pods or capsules being borne down in among the sheaths 

 of the leaves, and often below the surface of the ground; hence 

 they are not unfrequently overlooked. 



Gladiolus. A beautiful genus of fifty or sixty species of 

 Cape or South European cormous plants, but few, however, of 

 which are to be seen even in our best public gardens. To 

 the hybridiser many of the old species would be invaluable. 

 (See vols. i.-xx. of the ' Botanical Magazine ' for figures of 

 many beautiful species.) Gladioli are only to be propagated 

 from offsets or from seeds, the first method being employed to 

 multiply and perpetuate species or particular varieties, and the 

 latter to originate new forms. Seeds of some species, however, 

 closely resemble the parent. Gather the seeds in autumn as 

 soon as ripe, and sow in pans or boxes of light rich earth in 

 February, placing the pans in a moderately warm pit or frame. 

 Boxes are to be preferred to pans, as they contain a greater 

 body of soil, and do not become dry so soon. After the seeds 

 germinate, give water freely, and elevate the boxes near the 

 light : in June they may be placed in a sheltered position out 

 of doors, and carefully watered. In September carefully sift 

 out the young bulbs, and plant them in lines in a nursery bed 

 of rich sandy soil, where they can remain until they flower. 

 Save seeds only from good spikes and finely-formed flowers, 

 which should be carefully emasculated ere the anthers shed 

 their pollen ; after which watch the stigma, and when it is glu- 



