ON THE ONION FAMILY 



ing plant, and its relative of the Southern hemis- 

 phere is a tall shrubby plant with brilliantly col- 

 ored flowers. The Chilean plant is also called 

 yerba buena. 



I have attempted to cross this plant with the 

 species from Chile, hoping thus to stimulate varia- 

 tion and perhaps to produce a plant of larger size, 

 and through selection a variety of permanent 

 value. But the flowers of the plant are quite small, 

 making the process of cross-pollenization a rather 

 delicate one, and my experiment has hitherto not 

 proved successful. This, however, is doubtless due 

 to operating on too small a scale. I have no doubt 

 that more persistent efforts will result in 

 hybridizing these species, notwithstanding they 

 came from different hemispheres. 



Other mints with which I work are the melissa 

 or balm, and the common garden thyme. 



Of the former I have raised many thousands of 

 plants from seed, and have secured among these 

 half a dozen in which the flavor and aroma are 

 exceptionally pure and strong. In one of these 

 individuals the flavor is so much more spicy than 

 is usual that it may be said to constitute almost a 

 new type of flavor. The experiments in improving 

 the plant are still under way and the response 

 made by the plant itself is prompt, giving assur- 

 ance of the production of improved varieties. And 



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