446 ON THE IMPROVEMENT OP PLANTS. 



Proserpine. About the same time I observed a branch 

 of the Rose du Roi bearing pale flesh-coloured flowers. 

 This branch was propagated, and the new colour fixed. 

 When about to distribute this as a novelty, to my surprise 

 I received it from France under the name of CelinaDubos! 

 Now, although I know nothing of the history of Celina 

 Dubos as received from France, I yet know that it was 

 identical with my t sport, and I think it is reasonable to 

 conclude that it originated in the same way. Also 

 about the same time I observed a branch on the Rose Dr 

 Marx producing leaves finely striped with gold, and a 

 branch of the Bourbon Queen with leaves beautifully 

 variegated with white. Both of these sports were pro- 

 pagated and fixed. Of Roses, the Moss group is the most 

 inclined to sport. I have in days gone by frequently seen 

 two or three varieties of the Moss Rose growing on the 

 same plant. I have seen the Baronne Prevost, which is 

 naturally a double rose-coloured flower, produce striped 

 flowers, and others nearly single. I have also seen Mrs 

 Bosanquet, a white Rose, produce a branch bearing red 

 flowers. 



But the most notable recent case of this tendency is 

 that of the new double crimson Thorn, and this is remark- 

 able in having been observed in two different places about 

 the same time. It should be told, however, that both 

 these plants had been purchased from the same stock. 

 The particulars of one case are as follows : A tree of the 

 double pink Thorn had been planted in a garden some 

 fifteen or sixteen years, when a branch was observed to 

 have started away from the centre of the tree with unusual 

 vigour. It flowered, and lo! the flowers were crimson 

 instead of pink, presenting a marked contrast to those on 

 the lower part of the tree. The leaves, too, were of larger 

 size, greater substance, and more deeply lobed. Young 

 plants were propagated from this branch by budding and 

 grafting, and the character was fixed. 



A few words with regard to the fixing of variations 





or 



