126 THE OTTAWA NATURALIST. [September 
most growers erred in keeping their Cacti too dry. While these 
plants require but little moisture in the dormant season, it is still 
quite possible to keep them too dry. 
The Bronx Park Orchid house was also referred to, and the 
names given of a few kinds that were easily grown in any ama- 
teur greenhouse, such as Celogyne cristata, Cypripedium in- 
signe, Bletia hyacinthina, Phaius grandiflorus, etc. In the for- 
cing house was a large collection of seedlings in pots of Gnothera 
biennis grown to illustrate Dr. Hugo de Vries’s theory of muta- 
tions, which had been discussed by the Club at the previous meet- 
ing. Nothing was observed or learnt by Mr. Whyte about them 
to change the opinion he had held, in the first place, that there was 
nothing in these mutations to justify the prominence that had 
been given to them, and, secondly, that the variations were varie- 
tal and not specific. 
As a subject for discussion, Mr. Whyte introduced the ques- 
tion of the relative valve of artificial cross-fertilization versus 
natural cross-fertilization. He maintained that, while there was 
a great future for artificial fertilization and much had already been 
attained by it, still we should not lose sight of the fact that 
more than nine-tenths of our apples, peaches, pears, plums, 
grapes, currants and gooseberries were the product of natural 
crossing. Though accidental seedlings, when valuable, had been 
selected and propagated by the skill of the horticulturist, he held 
that natural crosses would continue to be the principal source of 
improvement, on account of the great number of these crosses 
compared with the very small number of successful artificial 
crosses ; also that it was only by slow advances that permanent 
improvement could be expected when the cross is violent, as from 
different species, as in Roger’s grapes the progeny are apt to be 
deficient in vigor. Mr. Whyte illustrated his remarks with his 
own experiences in raising new varieties of raspberries, gladiolus 
and poppies. R. B. W. 
ANNOUNCEMENT.—Mrs. Agnes Chamberlin, Lakefield, Ont., 
is now receiving subscriptions ($1.50) for copies of the new valu- 
able book by the well known author of several delighfful volumes 
on nature, Mrs. C. P. Traill: ‘‘ Studies of Plant Life in Canada ” 
—like the former works beautifully illustrated by Mrs. Chamberlin. 
To be out this autumn. 
