THE FLORIST. 
115 
ON GLOXINIA CARTONII, AND OTHER HYBRID 
VARIETIES. 
BY MR. CARTON, LATE GARDENER TO THE DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND, 
SYON PARK. 
The Gloxinia in question was raised from Gloxinia rubra crossed 
with Sinningia guttata. In a letter I received from the late Dean 
of Manchester, some doubts were expressed as to the possibility of 
such a cross having been effected, and suggesting that there was 
perhaps some error existing. 
This induced me to repeat the experiment, and the results were 
precisely the same in every respect. Not content with this, I was 
determined to try what 1 could do with Sinningia hirsuta, a plant 
apparently more distinct from the Gloxinia than Sinningia guttata. 
The results were the tree-growing varieties exhibited by me at the 
Horticultural Society's rooms. Regent Street. The Gloxinias were 
always the mother-plants, for I have never been able to induce the 
Sinningia to seed when crossed with the pollen of the Gloxinia. 
I should state, that the tree-varieties were raised not from Gloxinia 
rubra, but from Gloxinia Cartonii. What they were deficient in 
was brilliancy of colour ; and to obtain this, I crossed them with 
Gloxinia Cartonii, the produce of which I left at Syon. Had the 
opportunity been afforded me, I should have crossed these plants 
with Sinningia vellutina, to retain the tree-like habit, and then again 
with the large growing and flowering Gloxinias. 
If my expectations had been realised, I should have obtained 
strong branching plants, several feet high, from which would have 
depended large brilliant and varied coloured flowers of the elegant 
form of the Gloxinia ; and I think it impossible to imagine more 
beautiful objects than such would form for the stove and conserva¬ 
tory, or for the greenhouse in the summer and autumn months. If 
I have the opportunity in the situation I may next obtain, I certainly 
shall try what can be effected in the way proposed. 
Laburnum Cottage, Isleworth. 
[There is a singular feature connected with Gloxinia Cartonii 
which may interest our readers; and if ever they have been surprised 
at seeing the same name applied to two very distinctly-marked plants, 
what we shall now state will satisfactorily account for the difference. 
We had the plant from the original stock at Syon. When it bloomed 
in our collection, it shewed the white marking of the throat flowing 
completely out over the lower lip, and to the extremity of the flower. 
This gave rise to the supposition, that it was a distinct variety that 
had been handed to us in mistake; for in the original plant the 
lower lip has a well-defined rosy margin. It was, however, satis¬ 
factorily proved that it always assumed this character in our col¬ 
lection, and retained its true one in its native place; and as the 
circumstance involves the interesting question, of what can occasion 
the difference, we may also state how we proved the fact. Two plants 
in bloom were selected. They were both carefully marked ; the one 
