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EOTAL HOETICTJLTTJBAL SOCIETY. 
both. One was a perfect monster. Unlike either parent, the 
height of the flower-stem being from 3 to 4 inches in the one parent, 
and not above 6 inches in the other, it sent up a flower-spike 18 
inches high, bearing flowers (followed by seed-pods) for more than 
half its length on the upper portion of the stem — a thing wholly 
difierent from either of the species from which it sprung. 
Desirous to find how the progeny of such a monstrous form 
would behave, I saved the seeds, which were very abundant. 
They vegetated most freely ; and the plants are now for the most 
part in bloom or off'ering to flower. 
That you may judge how far they have departed in this 
(the second) generation from the original types, I beg to send 
herewith : — 
1. A small bit with roots of the Arabis Soyeri (or A. Soy er ana 
of Philippe's ' Flore des Pyrenees'), having a flower-stem of only 3 
inches. 
2. Three spikes of plants with flowers and rootlets of three 
seedlings immediately from the original crop {A. hlepharophylla 
X A. Soyeri), two of these having longer flower-stems than either 
parent, and one of only 3 inches, being as dwarf as A. Soyeri, the 
male parent. The two longest of these show solitary seed-pods 
for about 3 or 4 inches below the top umbel, like A. Soyeri. 
3. Two similar specimens of spikes of the hybrid in the second 
generation, only just come into flower, one 10 inches, and the 
other 21 inches high. And you will please observe that, instead 
of showing solitary blooms (as in the first generation) below the 
top umbel, they both exhibit tiny umbels at the axils of the leaves 
about halfway down the stem. 
I have lost A. hlepJiaropJiylla, the original seed-bearing species 
(a not over-hardy plant). But if you will please to turn up Torrey 
and G-ray's ' Plora of North America,' at p. 667 you will find it is 
described as having a stem of only 3-4 inches, with purple-coloured 
flowers. 
Now to you, so much better able than I am to detect in de- 
tail all the particulars in which these seedlings in the second 
generation have departed from the original types, I need 
only further observe that while the flowers have dwindled 
to below half the size, they have increased tenfold in number 
over those of either parent. The leaves, too, seem wholly altered 
in character ; and the rosy tint of the flowers of the original seed- 
