THE WATSONIA 77 



although plants of the Watsonia withstood 

 the season. 



It should be explained that the gladiolus does 

 not withstand the coldest part of our winter as 

 well as the Watsonia; but fortunately the gladi- 

 olus does not generally make a winter growth, 

 so it may be left in the ground with less danger. 



Of the hybrids that blossomed, all died next 

 year from gladiolus diseases. 



It may be of interest to add that double white 

 seedlings from the Watsonia have been pro- 

 duced here; also double flowers of other colors, 

 pink, light and dark salmon, and white. 



We have naturally had occasion, in recent 

 chapters, to pay more attention to the matter of 

 color than to any other single flower quality. 

 For it might almost be said that flowers have 

 been developed for color alone. A certain 

 amount of attention has been given to modi- 

 fying their forms, but this has always been 

 subordinated to the question of modifying 

 their color. 



If attempts have been made to increase the 

 size of the flower, and to multiply its petals, the 

 central thought has been to produce a more 

 striking color display. In exceptional cases, 

 notably that of the orchid, anomalies of form 

 add greatly to the interest with which a flower 



