BY JAMES PINK, ESQ., F.R.H.S. 



165 



on for a crop, but its fiuit is of inferior quality. Another 

 variety may be of weakly constitution and a shy bearer, but its 

 fruit is superb, and we think if the robust hardy variety would 

 only produce fruit equal to the weakly kind what a grand thing 

 it would be. That can never be ; but there is no reason why 

 a hybrid should not be raised, a distinct cross between the two, 

 combining the hardiness and productiveness of the one with 

 the superior quality of the other. To accom])lisli this flowers 

 of the robust variety should be fertilised with pollen from the 

 flowers of the weaker kinds, thus making the strong-constitu- 

 tioned plant the seed bearer. If this were properly carried out 

 the result would be a certainty ; the hybrid seedlin<2f possessing 

 the strength of tlie mother plant with the high qualities of the 

 male parent. It is rare that the progeny of two distinct 

 varieties represent the parents in a perfectly intermediate 

 degree but the general habit is usually that of the mother or 

 seed-bearing parent. No absolute principle can be laid down 

 on this point, but as a rule the strongest constitution should be 

 made the seed-bearer. 



Dropping from the useful to the ornamental, there is another 

 wide field open to the labours of the hybridist. There is not a 

 flower of any standard growing in our gardens that has not been 

 more or less civilised or improved by this art. All our 

 hybrid perpetual roses originated in a cross between Rosa 

 damascena and the perpetual chinensis, and from this group all 

 our hybrid Noisettes, and Tea, and scented roses have been 

 raised. Again, it is now difficult to realise that one of the 

 commonest and showiest flowers grown here (the geranium) is 

 the result of a simple cross of a variety growing wild in 

 S. Africa with the small-flowered and sweetly-scented, foliaged 

 G. citriodora. But so it is, and still new varieties are being 

 added— the result of artificial fertilisation. 



It has long been considered an undeniable fact, that distinct 

 species will not cross. It has always been a stock argument 

 that no one has ever yet succeeded in crossing the a])ple with 

 the pear ; the gooseberry with the currant ; or the raspberry 

 with the strawberry. Last season this fallacy was swept away 

 by Mr. Culverwell (Gardeners Chronicle, Vol. XIX., No. 490), 

 who succeeded in crossing the gooseberry with the black 

 current and raising seedlings the result of the cross ; and also 

 in raising hybrids from crossing the strawberry with the 

 raspbei'ry. 



These successes have opened up to scientists a vista of 

 unlimited possibilities, and the full effects of which on (mr 

 orchards and gardens it is impossible at present to anticipate. 



