HYD 



[440] 



HYD 



of that first hybridized, seems to he most 

 influenced by the male plant, if its seeds 

 and flowers are darker than those of the 

 female. Capt. Thurtell, from his experi- 

 ments on the pelargonium, found the 

 colour and the spot of the petals to be 

 more influenced by the male than by the 

 female parent. Indeed, all experience 

 proves that the progeny usually, though 

 not invariably, most resembles in colour 

 the male parent. 



8. Large stature and robustness are 

 transmitted to the offspring by either 

 parent ; but Mr. Knight generally found 

 the most robust female parent produced 

 the finest offspring. 



4. Capt. Thurtell, from lengthened 

 observation and experiment, has ascer- 

 tained that the form of the petals follows 

 most closely that of the female parent. 



5. Mr. Knight says that the largest 

 seed from the finest fruit that has ripened 

 earliest and most perfectly should always 

 be selected. In stone-fruit, if two kernels 

 are in one stone, these give birth to in- 

 ferior plants. 



6. The most successful mode of ob- 

 taining good and very distinct varieties 

 is to employ the pollen from a male 

 .flower grown on another plant than that 

 bearing the female parent. To avoid 

 previous and undesired impregnation, the 

 anthers in the female parent, if they are 

 produced in the same flower with the 

 pistils, must be removed by a sharp- 

 pointed pair of scissors, and the flower 

 in closed in a gauze bag, to exclude insects, 

 until the desired pollen is ripe. Another 

 effectual mode of avoiding undesired im- 

 pregnation is bringing the female parent 

 into flower a little earlier than its con- 

 genors, and removing the anthers as 

 above described : the stigma will remain 

 a long time vigorous if unimpregnated. 



7. When double flowers are desired, if 

 a double flower should chance to have a 

 fertile anther or two, these should be 

 employed for fertilization, as their off- 

 spring are almost sure to be very double. 



HYDKA'NGEA. (From hyd-or, water, 

 and aygeion, a vessel; referring to the 

 cup-form of the capsule, or seed-vessel. 

 Nat. ord., Hydranycads [Hydrangeaceaj], 

 Linn., IQ-Decandria %-Diyynia.') 



Deciduous shrubs. Propagated by division of 

 the roots, cuttings of the ripened shoots, and 

 flourishig best in moist, sheltered places. Hvr- 

 te'nsis, the common garden Hydrangea, though a 

 little more tender, stands the winter well in the 

 southern parts of the island, and though cut 



down in most winters in the neighbourhood of 

 London, yet, if a slight protection of mulching 

 is thrown over the roots, the stems will rise 

 strongly, and bloom well after Midsummer, if 

 care be taken to remove all the weaker ones, just 

 as is done with a Fuchsia stool. This species 

 makes, also, fine ornaments in pots, and may be 

 propagated at almost any time ; the young side- 

 shoots, when two or three inches in length, in- 

 serted in sandy soil and in heat, striking in a 

 few days, while the old stems will strike anywhere, 

 but require their time. To grow it well requires 

 light, rich compost, well drained, and abundance 

 of water. The flower generally appears first of a 

 greenish colour, becoming of a pale rose ; but in 

 some districts the colour becomes a beautiful 

 blue. Notwithstanding all the experiments that 

 have been made, there is still a little doubt as to 

 the cause that produces the change. When iron 

 fiiings and a solution of alum are used, in some 

 soils the blue colour is produced, while the same 

 means will not produce it in others; and other 

 soils will almost invariably produce this blue 

 colour without any peculiar matter whatever 

 being added. The loams at Kenwood, at Hamp- 

 stead Heath, and Stanmore Heath, and the peats 

 at Wimbledon, as well as some bogs near Edin- 

 burgh, are famous for producing this bine in the 

 Hydrangea. When trying artificially with iron 

 filings and alum-water, we have had different 

 colours on the same plant. This variation is 

 merely temporary it cannot be propagated like 

 a variety : a cutting from a blue plant will pro- 

 duce a rose one, unless the peculiar treatment be 

 continued. 



GREENHOUSE. 

 H. Belzo'nii (Belzoni's). 3. Blue. Japan. 



Japo'nica (Japan). 3. Blue, white. July. 



Japan. 1843. 



caru'lea ('olue-flowered). 3. Blue, white. 



June. Isle of Nepau. 1844. 



etella'ta (starry -flowered), 3, Pink. July. 



Japan. 



HARDY. 

 H. arbor e'scens (tree-like). 6. White. July. 



Virginia. 1736. 

 di'scolor(two-colouTed-leaved). 6. White, 



green. August. N. Amer. 



eorda'ta (heart-leaved). White. July. Caro- 



lina. 1806. 



heteroma'lla (various - surfaced - leaved). 4. 



White. Nepaul. 1821. 



horte'nsis( garden). 3. Pink. May. China. 1740. 



ni'vea (snow- white- leaved). 5. White. August. 



Carolina. 1786. 



glabe'lla, (smoothish-leaved). 5. White, 



green. July. 



quercifo'lia (oak-leaved). 4. White. July. 



Florida. 1803. 



HYDKA'STIS. Yellow Boot. (From hydor, 

 water; referring to the marshy places 

 where it grows. Nat ord., Crowfoots [Ra- 

 nunculacese]. Linn., 13-Polyandria l-Mo- 

 noyynia. Allied to Adonis.) 



Kardy herbaceous perennial. Division of the 

 root ; loam and peat ; moist situation. 

 H. Canade'nsis (Canadian). . Green. May. N. 

 Amer. 1759- 



HYDRO'LEA. (From hydor, water, and 

 elaia, oil; referring to the marshy ha- 

 bitat and oily feel of the leaves. Nat. ord. x 



