534 GENERAL REVIEW. 



This state of things is common to nearly all hybrids, but fixity 

 of character may be secured by crossing these hybrids with a 

 third species or distinct hybrid of other parents, and, as we 

 have already pointed out, this plan has repeatedly succeeded 

 in- fixing the characters of hybrids and in forming distinct races 

 of garden plants. The introduction of a third set of charac- 

 teristics into hybrid plants gives them stability of character, 

 just as three legs are necessary to a table. 



Mimulus (Musks and Monkey-flowers). A small group of 

 very showy garden perennials, represented by M. moschatus 

 ("Common Musk"), M. luteus (see 'Bot. Mag.,' t. 1501), 

 M. aurantiacus (see ' Bot. Mag.,' t. 354), M. cardinalis, an old 

 scarlet species often cultivated along with Musk in cottage- 

 windows, and M. repens (see 'Bot. Mag.,' t. 5423). Most of 

 the species are American, and M. luteus and M. moschatus are 

 quite hardy, and indeed naturalised in many parts of this 

 country. The many variable forms of Mimulus cultivated in 

 our gardens have been derived from M. luteus and M. auran- 

 tiacus, fertilised with pollen of M. cardinalis ; more recently, 

 however, a new and very handsome large-flowered race has 

 been originated by crossing the varieties of M. luteus recipro- 

 cally with M. luteus var. cupreus (see 'Bot. Mag.,' t. 5478), 

 these forms being characterised by large orange-yellow flowers, 

 boldly blotched with rich coppery brown. Nearly all the spe- 

 cies of Mimulus cross with each other freely, and hybrids have 

 been obtained between M. luteus and M. guttatus, M. auran- 

 tiacus and M. puniceus ; while M. cardinalis, M. guttatus, M. 

 luteus, and M. glutinosus are all susceptible of hybridism and 

 cross-breeding. M. V. Lemoine and M. Ingelrelst of Nancy 

 have much improved Mimuluses by cross-breeding, and Messrs 

 E. G. Henderson & Sons have produced a very handsome 

 strain of M. luteus and M. cupreus in this country. Mimulus 

 moschatus Harrisoni is a beautiful hybrid between M. moscha- 

 tus or Musk plant and M. maculatus or spotted Mimulus. It 

 has the fragrance of Musk, with much larger red-spotted flowers. 

 All the species are very easily propagated by seeds, or by 

 dividing the underground stems. Every bit of the root of M. 

 moschatus, M. luteus, and other species, will develop into 

 plants if placed in moist sandy soil. Seeds grow freely treated 

 like those of Calceolaria. In the * London Journal of Botany,' 

 1873, P- IOI > Mr Kitchener, F.L.S., has some interesting 

 observations on the irritability of the flowers of Mimulus, from 

 which we learn that Sprengel had previously noticed this 

 proper motion (Sprengel's 'Anleitung Zur. Reuntniss. der 

 Gewachse,' part i. p. 274). Mr Kitchener remarks in the 



