80 
THE FLORIST. 
VARIEGATION IN PI^LARGONIUMS. 
There are few subjects more deserving of notice than this, and perhaps 
few are less tho-ught of by the generality of gardeners. Various 
physiologists have, I'rom time to time, done much towards solving the 
mystery ; still tlie cause lies in comparative obscurity. That there 
are fixed laws, which govern the cause as well as the effect, no one can 
doubt, and a thorough acquaintance with these must be acquired before 
we can satisfactorily investigate the matter. It is poor logic to say that 
the effect is produced without a cause; there is no such thing in 
nature as chance ; on the contrary, order and perfection are everywhere 
observable. Some may inquire when a change which results in varie¬ 
gation takes place. I say, at the moment the cellular tissue is generated, 
which afterwards furnishes a seed or bud. Although at this early stage 
no perceptible alteration is discernible, still a chemical change must have 
taken place. I can see no difference in the arrangement of the tissue 
in a full-grown leaf, whether the parts be white or green, and there 
may be none, except the presence or absence of green matter. If 
the tissue in the buds of Pelargonium Annie (variegated'), and Com- 
pactum Superb (Green Horseshoe), the former a sport from the latter, 
be examined, no difference will be observed between the two, as regards 
colour, until light begins to play its important part: still, this does not 
alter my opinion as to when the change takes place. It is probable that 
all the cells generated at that juncture were, to a certain degree, 
deprived of the power to become green, and that the green patch in the 
middle of a leaf is an effort of nature to regain a lost position. As to 
the primary cause, I consider it to be water absorbed by the roots while 
in a state of decomposition. A plant such as a Pelargonium will live 
for a time without the aid of rootlets; indeed, when they perish no 
callus is formed between the dead and living portions. The same 
result follows, in some cases, when dead or decaying branches are 
allowed to remain on a plant; in the first case, the putrid matter may 
be carried upwards, and in the second, downwards ; be that as it may, 
matter in a state of decomposition assuredly does enter. If the power 
to form green material in a seed were partially destroyed, the future 
plant would doubtless become variegated, but if wholly destroyed, no 
germination could take place; yet we often see white shoots start from 
a healthy-looking plant, growing as vigorously as any of the others, but 
deprive them of the aid of the green portion, and they would soon die. 
I have never been able to get a variegated plant from seed, although I 
believe Flower of the Day was so obtained; nor do I see that any 
practical means can be employed whereby dependence may be placed in 
seeds to furnish variegated results; the case is, however, otherwise with 
buds. 
Having found that in good soil variegated plants indicated a tendency 
to become green, and that, in wet mould badly drained, green sorts 
had a tendency to throw up white shoots, I was led to try a few experi¬ 
ments. The first was in 1857- A plant of Cerise Unique, which had 
been very unmercifully cut for cuttings, was selected for the purpose. 
It was pretty well furnished for snags—in fact, a good specimen of bad 
