THE ORIGIN OF FLORISTS' FLOWERS 



i S many readers of these pages may have no clear conception of the origin of 

 " Florists' Flowers," or even of the meaning of such terms as " Genus," 

 "Species," and " Variety," it may be well here, as briefly as possible, to endeavour to 

 explain their significance in popular, rather than in scientific, language. 



It may be true, as a great authority states, that there is "no real difference between 

 genus, species, and variety, except in degree " ; yet, if they cannot be defined exactly, 

 these degrees are so well marked as to make the words expressing them useful, and 

 even necessary, as terms of reference amongst growers of plants. 



Genus. — A group or assemblage of kindred plants which resemble each other so 

 clearly in structure and characteristics that there is little or no difficulty in recognising 

 their relationship. For example, a number of roses, single or double, wild or culti- 

 vated, form one genus — the genus Rosa. All the chrysanthemums, single or double, 

 annual or perennial, wild or cultivated, from the ox-eyed daisy of spring, the corn 

 marigold of summer and the French marguerite, to the glorious autumn flowers that 

 we owe to China and Japan — all form but one genus — the genus Chrysanthemum. It is 

 the same with dahlias, fuchsias, liliums, poppies, and others far too numerous to be 

 mentioned here, the different species and varieties of each composing in the aggregate 

 the genus in each case. 



Species. — The separate individuals forming the natural sections or divisions of 

 which the group or genus is composed. Thus Chrysanthemum leucanthemum (ox-eyed 

 daisy), C. segetum (corn marigold), C. frutescens (French marguerite or Paris daisy), 

 as well as C. indicum or sinense (the originator of our beautiful autumn chrysanthemums) 

 are separate individuals, which, with others, form the genus to which they belong. 



Thus it will be seen that species are natural plants originally wild, in their native 

 habitats, and like the dandelions and daisies in our fields, remain, under natural con- 

 ditions, practically the same from generation to generation, though millions are grown 

 from scattered seeds, the result of self-fertilisation. 



But — and here comes an important proviso — if "species" are grown under the 

 influence of some departure from natural conditions, such as removal to, and high culti- 



