548 
THE GARDENERS’ 
CHRONICLE. 
Y 
[Mar 4,1895, 
however, yoi with but little encouragement, Sir 
Fern authorities, 
the notion became pted as true. Mr. Lowe 
then advanced further, and asse possi- 
bility. of hybridising Ferns artificially. This 
notion was met on the part of the cultivators 
with vigorous denial. The thing was not pos- 
sible, they said. Still, Mr. Lowe persevered. 
He could not, indeed, operate with the same 
directness and precision as the florist who, with 
due precaution, removes the pollen from one 
flower and deposits it on the stigma of another 
flower, but he could effect the commingling of 
different individuals by indirect means. This 
was effected by sowing spores taken from various 
plants thickly, so that the resultant prothalli 
might be in contact, and every facility thus 
offered for the transit of the spermatozoids from - 
one prothallus to another. The microscopic 
character of these organs was a difficulty to be 
overcome in crossing Ferns, and the only way to 
overcome thi med to sowing the Fern- 
spores thickly together, trusting to their close 
organs” 
[The author clearly means the antherozoids. | 
“having been noticed to move about with 
activity in the moisture on the surface of the 
prothallus, it was thought possible for them to 
cause rather than hybridity or cross-breedin, ng. 
But as time went on, and the results increased in 
iden r 
number, the evidences o 
i Fe 
e 
poesy doubts that hybrid or cross-bred Ferns do 
and that they can be produced artificially 
in Py — way we have mentioned, 
The book befo ore us gives the rn of the 
nd dis- 
tinctly. The author has reprinted tl the remark- 
able paper that he read at the Fern Conference 
that of multiple parentage. Botanists 
in 2 reserve stage as to the possibility of such 
but as former doubts and re- 
* have been solved practically, so also may 
be, 
this. 
A fur experiment, says Mr. Lowe on this 
head, was the r the spores 
of de varieties of the Lady Fern; 
tho Eis yong Pe -d 8 
ere seedlings that showed the 
} ies on a 
single frond, so that the spermatozoids from 
oo who have hitherto pore that only 
‘le spermatozoon enters t ium 
r But as in other Crrptogams, and in 
many of the lower animal 
and experienced 
spiral form, the rugose form, the tasselled form, 
were in fact, all mingled and sown together, and 
in the resultant seedlings on the self-same plant 
gether. The plants were exhibited at Chiswick 
and elsewhere, and some of them are figured 
in the present book, 
How can the facts be otherwise explained 
than by what Mr. Lowe oalls multiple paren- 
as they are by the very remarkable evidence he 
brings forward, n 
microscopists, No doubt Mr. 
ma n 
It is possible also 
that there may be slight differences in anatomi- 
cal structure between the several forms, and if 
these characteristics were re -produce 
periments in dividing the prothallus so as to 
isolate the newly - produced seedling, can 
only allude to in passing. As there are several 
archegonia on each prothallus, it is quite con- 
ceiveable each might be impregna 
spermatozoid from a different variety, if in near 
proximity; 
Mr. Lowe, after giving a general sketch of 
his work 3 fifty years—a sketch made up, 
toa large extent, of papers and communications 
impo 
rimental sowin ngs that he has 
made, This pall of the work is copiously illus- 
trated with woodouts, but it is obvious that we 
cannot follow the author through all this detail, 
ust suffice to recommend i 1 
careful consideration of experts. ust also 
add that many oultural details are e 1 which 
will have special ree, oe ening from so old 
a cultiv 
The book, which is handsomely got up, ends 
with brief memoirs of eminent Fern-growers, 
Col, Jones, G. F. Fox, Major Cowburn, 
last-mentioned, are dead. 
GUNNERSBURY PARK, ACTON. 
Tu Peacb- cases at Gunnersbury Park are fall of 
quite 
rosy in colour, so pale is bs ‘ae binash, 
One of the fathead of boom in on Grows Mig- 
nonne—a superb on account of its rich c bibá?! 
for 3 of colour i in the blossom, Rivers Oran 
Nectarine is, perhaps, unequall Mr. G. Reynolds 
9 very highly of Belle de Doné, which bears 
me, melting ag Dymond, Nectarine Peach 
Highly as ken of, it does 
not do well at Gunnersbury un 8 Nec- 
F i 
Dryden, Stanwic 
Elruge, Rivers’ Orange, Elruge, and Violette Hative 
are all very good. 
In the management of these cases, Mr, Reynolds 
emen to maintain an equable ean between 
ot sunny mid - days and the ereatlyslowana tempe- 
eee of morning, evening, and night; the wall 
the back is on a northern i 5 
well. Among the Peaches are Golden Eagle, Lady 
Palmerston, and Gladstone as a late variety, also the 
Victoria Nectarine. 
Pot Vines of Frontignan and Black Ham 
are doing well, carrying abundant crops of fruit, both 
commencing to colour. In the early vinery there ig 
also an excellent show of fruit, while the large range 
is active, ed r EE commenced in the earliest 
of the four div 
The Fig-case, which contains huge trees of the 
White M ane and Brown 
appear ~ feed 
The Cherry- as an abundant settiag of 
fruit, Sas Black Paice does not appear to suc- 
ceed under e ey any ra ate, it does not sot its frait 
well. Late Bla 
year than in the — previous ye ars; r. 
thinks it needs to be well established ms it can 
succeed, The night temperature is kept 
40° until stoning is TE then the 4 are 
hastened a bit 
The Plant 
- .—Everything is in the best con- 
dition. Odontoglossums are bearing fine spikes, 
aud Masdevallias are vigorous, and full of promise, 
There is a wonderful house of Eucharis in pots, 10 
to 14 inches in diameter, the plants in the very pink 
of condition, Mr, Reynolds does not pot they 
are thoroughly pot-bound, and vigorous as the plants 
, they do not 
anure soot- water 
are 8 in blooming, and appear to flower in 
batches 
In ons of the nixed plant-houses, Begonia Gloire de 
Sceaux is a fine feature; under clear skies, and in & 
dry intermediate temperature, it blooms grandly, the 
selected near the base, in order to 
and ha seen 
1 Dt * 3 
tage; a lunge be % 
— ee remarkable variation. 
Out: of. doors Fruits, every hand there is 4 
great enum of bloom on all outdoor .frait-trees, 
but all are v „and with the cold nights but 
slow made. Pobre 2 
earnestly desirous that genial spring weather may 
in a — critical sie’, ao that the kindly fruits of 
h may develop under the most i 
ee and be fully enjoyed in due season. R. 
ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 
CYPRIPEDIUM ren; UM, 
A sPLENDID flower from the origi Esq. 
of this plant, has been sent by Joseph Broome, Bs 
of Sunny Hill, Llandudno, and it shows the = 
C. Rothschildianum, vis, the ivory- 
white ground colourof the flower instead of yello tally 
white, 
eniad Jala; cal come CANDIS Oe 
