Merherts Amarylliddcece. 277 



procure mules between the different species of alstroemerias, 

 and between the species of oxalises, but to no purpose. I have 

 flowered many thousand seedlings from the former, with but one 

 variation from A. Hooker/an^, which lost therose blush of its 

 parent, and assumed a dullish brown tint: this I have again 

 united with its parent and other species \ but the seedlings are 

 not yet come to a flowering state. Whatever process may be 

 found applicable for the production of seeds in monocotyle- 

 donous plants, I apprehend the converse will be a sure guide 

 for dicotyledonous plants: the former may, probably, require 

 an excess or repletion of developement, so to speak ; the latter, 

 an over-exertion of their vegetative powers. Corrae''« speciosa, 

 divested of its flower, and placed in a dry hot atmosphere, will 

 cross with C. pulchella, and the contrary. Something may be 

 expected in this way. iLathyrus grandiflorus will readily seed 

 if the stigma is set at liberty by slitting the carina, or keel, which 

 prevents its elongation. The author very justly recommends 

 forcing such plants as it is desirable to obtain genuine seeds 

 from. Should two species be forced, to obtain a genuine mule, 

 the unripe anthers, taken from the first flowers, will ripen in a 

 few days, and be available afterwards. Pollen taken from Cereus 

 speciosissimus, in May, was found to fertilise the stigma of C. 

 truncatus in the following October. A mouse, unfortunately, how-, 

 ever, carried away the fruit when half-ripe. Cereus Ackermannms', 

 though reputed to be a Mexican species, is only a British one. 

 Several seedlings from C. speciosus, now showing flower here, 

 are apparently the same as C. Ackermannz?<!5 ; and will be past 

 a doubt before this is published. The male parent, unfortunately, 

 is not known : such is the inevitable result of imperfect notes 

 of it. There is presumptive evidence of Fiichs/a arborescens 

 yielding to the pollen of F. globosa by a previous over-exertioa 

 of its vital energies. A seedling from F. excorticata, by a slender 

 variety of F. gracilis, shows a singular mode of growth, ap- 

 proaching that of trailing ; a great succulency of young wood |, 

 and a shade of the glaucous appearance on the imder side of the 

 leaf, peculiar to its female parent. A bigeneric production, 

 between Gloxinm speciosa and Sinning/o' guttata, has been ob- 

 tained. But the catalogue, I am afraid, is already too tedious.. 

 The first idea of preserving pollen for future use, I derived from 

 the Magazine of Natural Histori/, vol. ii. p. 4. ; and I found it of 

 much service. In 1832, I obtained some calceolaria blossoms 

 from the late Mr. Shepherd of the Liverpool Botanic Garden j 

 and, after travelling in my specimen box for six weeks, they 

 readily fertilised my ov/n varieties at home. I have no doubt 

 whatever but pollen, taken from the flowers on the Alps of 

 Thibet, might be brought to this country in a hermetically sealed 

 vessel, and be found as fit for performing its office in this. 



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