| SFY) ge i 
DECEMBER, 1908 
mere money could buy it. Nothing short of 
love I fancy, would secureit. But it would 
be interesting to see whether it really has 
the botanical characteristics of C. chry- 
santhus, would it not? The variable yellow 
crocus is pretty certain to bloom outdoors in 
February; Mr. Gerard has had it in January. 
The flowers are smaller than those of the 
next species. 
A KEY TO THE CROCUSES 
I have prepared a key to the crocuses 
based on characters that are more accurate 
than season of bloom and color of flower 
and more interesting to the gardener 
than those which determine botanical 
relationship. 
A. Color of fis. yellow, or yellow 
and brown. 
B. Leaves dormant at flowering 
time. Scharojani 
BB. Leaves appearing with the fis. 
C. Stigmas much branched. vitellinus 
CC. Stigmas entire. 
D. Corm netted. 
E. Flowers suffused brown. Susianus 
EE. Flowers not _ suffused 
brown. Meesiacus 
DD. Corm annulate. _chrysanthus 
AA. Color of flowers purple, lilac, or 
white. 
B. Leaves dormant at flowering 
time. 
C. Throat yellow outside. pulchellus 
CC. Throat purple or lilac out- 
side. 
D. Inner petals much smaller. iridiflorus 
DD. Inner petals about size of 
outer. 
E. Corm fibro-membranous. nudiflous 
EE. Corm netted. medius 
BB. Leaves appearing with the fils. 
C. Stigmas entire. ° 
D. Throat yellow. 
E. Anthers white. zonatus 
EE. Anthers yellow. 
F. Corm  fibro-membra- 
nous. Caspius 
FF. Corm netted. Sieberi 
FFF. Corms annulate. biflorus 
DD. Throat white or violet. 
E. Petals feathered. 
F. Corms fibro-membra- 
nous. versicolor 
FF. Corms netted. 
G. Leaves glabrous. vernus 
GG. Leaves ciliated. sativus 
EE. Petals not feathered. Hadriaticus 
CC. Stigmas slightly divided. 
D. Throat yellow. 
E. Anthers white. ochroleucus 
EE. Anthers yellow. 
F. Corms fibro-membra- 
nous. 
G. Throat bearded. Salzmanni 
GG. Throat unbearded. Imperati 
FF. Corms netted longiflorus 
DD. Throat white inside. serotinus 
CCC. Stigmas much branched. 
D. Throat yellow. 
E. Anthers yellow. hyemalis 
EE. Anthers white. 
F. Corm fibro-membra- 
nous. 
G. Filaments pubescent. Tournefortii 
GG. Filaments slightly 
papillose. Boryi 
FF. Corm leathery, hard, , 
polished. levigatus 
DD. Throat white or violet. ; 
E. Corms fibro-membranous. Asturicus 
EE. Corms netted. 
F. Throat bearded. Clusii 
FF. Throat unbearded. cancellatus 
EEE. Corms annulate. speciosus 
THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 
A Wonderful Improvement in 
Primroses in One Year 
By N. R. Graves, New York 
6 re flowers of a favorite primrose (Py7- 
mula obconica) have been more than 
doubled in number in one year by a simple 
system of crossing and selection. Moreover, 
the flowers are of better color, and the plants 
are of more stocky and vigorous growth 
than those grown in the ordinary way and 
from ordinary seed. 
The specimens here pictured were grown 
by a prominent firm of florists in Rochester, 
New York, who are much interested in this 
work. 
The following method was used: When the 
plants from ordinary seed had reached the 
flowering stage the very best were selected, 
some being chosen for size and color of 
flowers, while others were kept because of 
their compact habit. The object was to 
get stocky plants with large compact flower 
tresses of a desirable pink shade and of a 
fringed type. 
After pollinating there are two methods 
of distinguishing fertilized bloom. 
One is 
Before improvement. Showing the average quality 
obtainable from ordinary seed of Primula obconica 
to tie a string around each fertilized flower 
stem; the other and better way is to remove 
the petals from the flowers which have been 
successfully fertilized. 
These plants have to be gone over carefully 
each day when the seeds begin to ripen, and 
such as are ripe must be gathered at once as, 
on account of their small size, the seeds are 
easily shaken out and lost. 
I have other photographs to prove my 
statement that the specimens here shown 
are fair samples of large quantities secured 
in this way. 
Primroses will thrive as window plants in 
a fairly cool room provided they do not get 
chilled and the soil in the pots is not per- 
mitted to dry out. A sudden change of air, 
however, is certain to injure the plants. If 
the surroundings are congenial, flowers will 
be produced over a long season, and with 
good care the plants can be kept for three 
or four years. 
After improvement, showing how the quantity of 
flowers has been doubled in one year simply by 
crossing and selection, such as any careful ama-— 
teur can perform 
Corn Discovered in Europe 
By M. Mutter, New York 
WV Ate maize is practically unknown 
to Europe north of the Alps, it has 
now gained a stronghold in Southern Russia 
and Caucasia, where the climate is much like 
that of the Northeastern United States. The 
winters are likely to be very cold and the short 
summers are extremely hot and dry. The 
rainfall is only ten to eighteen inches and 
comes at the wrong time. Indian corn 
always does better than the other cereals, 
when a drought in the early part of the 
season is followed by abundant rains which 
are too late for wheat, etc., but in time to 
save the maize. Seed can be ripened as far 
north as latitude 48 degrees or 50 degrees. 
‘The exports of maize from this district vary 
from 30,000 to 100,000 tons, and in Bessa- 
rabia a quarter of the land is devoted to 
this crop. We ought to have a live account 
of the ornamental plants of this interesting 
region by someone who can point out the 
most promising trees and shrubs for planting 
in the United States. 
The petals have been picked off the top cluster 
which has been successfully pollinated 
