232 THE FLORIST AND 



promulgated, "all varieties of plants when left to themselves take the sexual 

 characters of their originals." The next query is, would scions or buds of 

 the barren tree, worked on other stocks, produce fruit. Mr. Harper will 

 no doubt part with a few twigs for experiment, so that those who believe in 

 sexual mutation can convince themselves of the wisdom or folly of their 

 theory. Sambucus. 



Philadelphia, July 14^, 1854. [In Farm Jour. 



Whether Mr. Sambucus understood what he meant by the above para- 

 gaaph we do not know, but one thing we are sure of, namely, that we don't 

 think he did. We happened to have had presented to us, at the instance of 

 Mr. Sambucus, a few shoots of each tree when in flower. One, the fruitful 

 one, with all its parts perfect, having pistils, and stamens bearing pollen ; the 

 other, the more vigorous tree, with larger flowers, pistils apparently perfect, 

 both in style and stigma, stamens with perfect anthers but bearing no pol- 

 len. The cause of its unfruitfulness is that it expends all its energy in mak- 

 ing wood, it has more leaves and is altogether a stronger tree than the other. 

 Now, if Mr. Sambucus will take the trouble to root-prune this tree, we have 

 no doubt, nor do we think has he, that it will bear quite as many and as 

 large apricots as the other. According to the paragaraph above quoted, 

 " either of the trees is to refute the doctrine lately promulgated," &c, now 

 would Mr. Sambucus insinuate that either of these trees is pistillate or stam- 

 inate and unchangeably so ? On the contrary, like the rest of the Rose fam- 

 ily, to which the Apricot as well as the Strawberry belongs, they have per- 

 fect flowers. The gentleman seems to think he has gotten "a case" but it 

 won't do this time. Try again, Mr. Sambucus. Get an unchangeably pistil- 

 late Rose or Pear or Apple tree. 



PERENNIAL DELPHINIUMS, AND THEIR VARIETIES. 



This charming herbaceous plant, with its numerous varieties, now amount- 

 ing to about sixty named kinds, is one of the best that can be used for- 

 beautifying the flower-garden. The length of time they are in bloom, com- 

 bined with their varied and brilliant colors, makes them very desirable. 

 The dwarf varieties, when grown in a bed, have the best possible effect, and 

 when mixed with other plants in the beds or borders, they have a very 

 interesting appearance. The taller perennial varieties grow from six to 

 eight or nine feet in height, and are very suitable for planting at the back 



