THE PEA FAMILY. 433 



One of the most interesting plants in this genus is the 

 supposed graft hybrid * C. purpuraceus, or C. Adami, as it is 

 called in some gardens (see Grafting). 



Erythrina (Coral - trees). A group of very ornamental 

 shrubs, the species of which are principally natives of the 

 tropics or sub-tropical countries. E. crista-galli is one of the 

 oldest and best of the cultivated species ; and, together with the 

 hybrids and seminal forms, which have of late years been 

 raised in French and Belgian gardens, most of the species, 

 and especially E. crista-galli, E. herbacea, E. laurifolia, seed 

 freely if cross-fertilised, and the seeds germinate readily sown in 

 February in a genial bottom-heat of 65 to 75. Cuttings root 

 freely if taken off when the plants break in the spring, and 

 should be inserted in a heated case. M. Duchartre alludes to 

 some of the earliest hybrids (see ' Jour, de la Soc. Imp. et Cent. 

 d'Hort.,' t. vii. p. 81), which, it appears, were raised by M. 

 Bellanger, formerly of Charonne, who commenced operations 

 by fertilising E. crista-galli with pollen of E. herbacea, the 

 result being three hybrids, not of any special beauty in them- 

 selves, but which served as the parents of more beautiful forms. 

 M. Bellanger followed up his experiment by fertilising these 

 hybrids and their seedlings reciprocally with one or other of 

 the two original parents ; and in 1855 he succeeded in raising 

 E. " Marie Bellanger " from seeds of E. crista-galli, fertilised 

 by one of his unnamed seedlings. E. Bidivellii, another 

 elegant hybrid, was obtained from seeds of E. herbacea, ferti- 

 lised with pollen of E. crista-galli. Many beautiful cross-bred 

 forms are now used in our summer flower-garden arrangements ; 

 and by cross-fertilising the best of these, other new and more 

 effective forms are obtainable. 



Pisum (Peas). Papilionaceous or Pea-flowered climbing an- 

 nuals and perennials, easily propagated by seeds, and the peren- 

 nial section by division. The edible Peas, now so much improved 

 by cross-breeding, and so largely grown in our gardens, have 

 originated from two types P. arvense, a red-flowered annual, 

 commonly known as the " Field-pea," and P. sativum, a white- 

 flowered annual, and, like the last-named kind, a native of 

 Southern Europe. Seeds sown in succession enable the gar- 

 dener to procure this delicious vegetable from May to Novem- 

 ber in favourable seasons. New or improved varieties are 

 obtained either by the careful selection of seminal varieties or 

 by judiciously crossing any two varieties which individually 

 possess qualities it is desirable to unite in the progeny. The 

 anthers of Peas and many of their allies shed their pollen 

 * See Herbert's Amaryllidaceae, p. 376. 

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