HYBRIDIZATION. 133 



plant of an intermediate shade of color. This principle of 

 cultivating and propagating new varieties has been carried 

 to such an extent by florists, among certain genera that are 

 in their power, that the original species can now scarcely 

 be distinguished. Unfortunately for science, if a slight 

 variety of any popular flower is developed by this hybridiz- 

 ing process, it is immediately sought after, and will bring 

 the florist a higher premium than some newly introduced, 

 and perhaps, beautiful exotic species. This is certainly 

 very bad taste. The introduction and cultivation of new 

 species ought to be encouraged, because it is of far more 

 importance than the breeding of hybrids. We should be- 

 come better acquainted with exotic flowers, and many 

 undiscovered and valuable properties would doubtless be 

 brought to light in some of them, by that watchful and 

 studious attention to their habits which would be required 

 for their successful cultivation. The numerous and beauti- 

 ful homes of wealthy citizens would no longer be surrounded 

 by gardens filled with common flowers, but we should find 

 in them what is far more becoming, select and choice col- 

 lections of foreign plants. 



Nearly allied plants of the same genus can alone be made 

 to hybridize. Thus the different species of the lily, straw- 

 berry, and the geranium, intermix freely with the indivi- 

 duals of the same genus ; but the lily and strawberry, two 

 different genera, cannot be made to fertilize each other. 



To the facility with which the species of some genera 

 hybridize, are we indebted for all the splendid varieties of 

 the rose, dahlia, and geranium. These can only be propa- 

 gated by cuttings, or by offsets or portions of the root. 



The study of the laws of hybridization is important, as 

 connected with the origin and limitation of species. If, as 

 some authors believe, there are only a few original species, 

 12 



