740 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
July 22, 1899. 
between the Carnation and the Sweet 
William was the first of its kind recorded, 
and many others either natural or artificial 
have been described,some of them as species, 
but they never gain the same permanent 
footing in gardens as selected varieties pure 
and simple of the Carnation and Pink 
respectively. Hybrids of the genus 
Dianthus quickly revert to the parent forms 
when fertilised for a few generations by one 
or other of the said parents ; and that is 
what raisers are likely to do even if they 
commence by hybridising. For that reason 
the modern races of Carnations and Pinks 
show no inter-connection. 
I>ansies and Violas. —The Pansy proper 
v 5 including the show and fancy strains 
all belong to Viola tricolor, and no doubt its 
improvement had been carried on for many 
years before any systematic record was 
made of the means that were taken to 
improve it. More recently horticultural 
writers have stated that V. grandiflora, 
V. lutea, and V. amoena were utilised 
in effecting improvements ; but from a 
botanical point of view these are all re¬ 
garded as perennial forms ofV. tricolor with 
a more branching root stock, or in other words 
with a more determined habit ofthrowingup 
» suckers from the base. There are different 
opinions in the matter, but all are very 
closely allied, and improvements effected 
by them can hardly be regarded as other 
than cross breeding. The method chiefly 
adopted is that of gathering seeds from the 
best types and sowing them extensively with 
the object of getting chance good things 
for selection. Night-flying moths and 
butterflies are chiefly concerned in crossing 
the varieties; and by reason of their activity, 
it is very difficult to make certain of the 
cross by artificial means unless special 
precautions are taken to keep insects from 
the flowers artificially pollinated. For 
bedding purposes a selection was first made 
of those of continual flowering tendencies, 
with the habit of throwing up plenty of 
suckers. These were termed bedding 
Pansies, and the desired habit was secured 
by the use of Viola lutea and its variety or 
sub-variety V. 1 . amoena. More recently 
these Pansies were hybridised with V. 
cornuta, as well as the reverse cross. 
Several improved varieties of V. cornuta 
were used for this purpose and the pro¬ 
geny came to be spoken of as Violas. We 
should regard these as hybrids; but so 
strong is the desire amongst cultivators 
generally to get large, round flowers, that 
Pansies were and are frequently used as 
parents. The results are that all traces of 
Viola cornuta have been eliminated from a 
great number of the most cherished of the 
modern Violas, the progeny being mostly 
Pansies pure and simple. This is clearly 
one more instance of the gradual elimin¬ 
ation of the hybrid progeny that formerly 
obtained. This limitation to the service¬ 
ableness of hybridisation in the improve¬ 
ment of garden plants is clearly due 
to the preference of raisers for the large 
round flowers of the Pansy which has been 
brought to its present state of perfection by 
centuries of selection. 
f HRYSANTHEMUMS. — The two species of 
Chrysanthemum which have been 
most prominently brought into notice with¬ 
in recent years are C. sinense, the 
parent of the large forms, and C. indicum, 
an originally yellow-flowered species from 
which the tiny pompons have been evolved. 
A slight study of the subject will convince 
one that very little, if any, hybridisation 
has been effected between these two species. 
The modern varieties have been developed 
along independent lines. To cross them 
would be to destroy both for the purpose 
for which they are intended. The teaching 
of the last decade has gone to show that, 
since the aim is to get the largest flowers, 
the breeders must and do get the largest- 
flowered varieties at their command, and 
breed from the same. This might be 
considered as in-breeding, if it were not for the 
fact that there are many workers all over the 
civilised world, so that the different strains, 
when brought from such remote sources, 
have the effect of importing fresh blood, so 
to speak, into the general stock. This 
would apply particularly to the Japanese 
varieties. The incurved varieties had been 
falling behind on account of their small size 
and lack of novelty ; but when Japanese 
blood had been imported into them, there 
was a great cry that such forms as J. Agate, 
Major Bonaffon and C. H. Curtis had out¬ 
raged the rules or canons for their particular 
and strictly limited form. After some 
reluctance they have been admitted among 
the elect, and the section has benefited by 
their having this form of franchise. Even 
here, however, no hybridisation has taken 
place. To cross a Japanese with a pompon 
variety would be a hybrid within the mean¬ 
ing of the term; but Chrysanthemum 
raisers and growers would probably look 
upon the act as an outrage. Thus we see 
the limitations that here apply, for the best 
Chrysanthemums of the present day are 
obtained by cross-breeding and selection. 
Raisers take the nearest way to get to their 
ideal, just as in the case of those who go to 
the Pansy to get so-called Violas with 
geometrically circular flowers, instead of 
attaining that end by gradually developing 
a round from the elongated bloom of the 
Viola proper. 
(To be continued.) 
Spraying—It is announced that the natives of 
Lewis and Harris, two islands of the Western 
Hebrides (Scotland), are to be taught the art of 
spraying by Mr. D. Moleyns, a go-ahead Irishman. 
The Blue Rose at Last.—You have only to 
hybridise the Blue (bell and the Prim) rose and you 
have the Blue Rose. I want no patent for the 
discovery, as I know I shall have to want it.— Snaggs. 
Dumfriesshire and Galloway Horticultural Society. 
—The autumn exhibition of the above society will 
be held in the Drill Hall, Dumfries, on Wednesday, 
August 30th, instead of Wednesday, September 6th, 
as previously announced. Catalogues and full 
particulars may be had from G. W. Kerr, Secretary. 
Lime-Kiln Ashes.—Though such ashes lack the 
amount of potash which we find in woodashes, yet 
they contain a good proportion of the more impor¬ 
tant elements of plant food. From an official return 
it is found that 53 lbs. of potash and 43 lbs. of phos¬ 
phoric acid per ton have been found in a dried 
sample. 
International Congress on Chrysanthemums.—An 
international congress on Chrysanthemums will be 
held by the National Horticultural Society of France 
in 1900. It will coincide with the special exhib¬ 
ition of Chrysanthemums, which will take place in 
autumn in the Palace of Horticulture at the Uni¬ 
versal Exhibition of 1900. 
Fern3 in Jamaica.—Ferns in this West Indian 
feland inhabit the country from the sea-shore to 
the tip-top of the highest mountain. Maidenhair 
Ferns of several sorts line the moist and mossy 
banks and rocks, and there are gold and silver 
Ferns. Then there are broad lace Ferns, and 
prickly-stemmed climbing Ferns sprawling over the 
bushes like Clematis, and thousands upon thousands 
of tree Ferns with stems from ro ft. to 40 ft. high. 
These tree Ferns inhabit rich, moist, precipitous 
mountain sides, usually on the north and east, 
where they are hidden from the face of the sun. 
The filmy Ferns inhabit the dark and damp ravines 
spreading over rotten logs, dripping rocks, or banks, 
or up the stems of trees. They vary in size from 
that of a mouse's ear to fronds 1 ft. high. 
Tomato Seeds.—To clean these, or Melon, Cucum¬ 
ber, and such-like seeds, scoop the pulp on to a fine 
sieve, and, having a current of water passing through 
the said sieve, rub the pulp, and continue to rub 
until the pulp is cleaned away and the seed alone 
left, which may be dried. 
Kid Glove Gardening.—In Mailer's Deutsche Gartner 
Zeitung there appears a photograph representing a 
skit on lady gardeners. It shows a gay young lass 
sitting (rather clumsily) upon a bicycle and wearing 
those sort of things which are not trousers neither 
are they skirts, but-. Oh, well, she’s propelling 
her bicycle, which hugs along a carriage with 
pneumatic tyres, in which are soil and a ribbon 
decked fork. She squirts Eau de Cologne from her 
handle-bars (" and the garden is just lovely ”). 
Corrections.—In the report of the show of the 
National Amateur Gardeners' Association on p. 734 
it is stated that Dr. Cook won the first prize for six 
bunches of annuals; the prize was really won by Mr. 
H. W. G. Morris, Thame. The " Dobbie Cham¬ 
pionship ” or Trophy was also won by Mr. Morris. 
Mr. H. A. Needs, who is said to have won it, was 
disqualified for using too much space. The " Sweet 
Pea " Trophy was offered for the first time on this 
occasion, so that there was no previous competition 
for it. 
A New British Industry.—The manufacture of fancy 
baskets for work, flowers, bicycles, paint brushes, 
and useful and fancy luncheon baskets is mainly 
carried on abroad. Miss Annie Firth, however, 
could see no reason why British women should not 
be taught the industry, and accordingly she has 
founded a school of basket making, and periodical 
examinations are held by the City and Guilds of 
London for certificates of competency. The third 
annual exhibition and sale was recently held, and 
proved very successful. 
Chemical Ingredients.—The following chemical 
ingredients are found to aid the growth of vegetables, 
as follows:—All the Brassica tribe, which 
includes Cabbage, Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts, 
Savoys and Kohl-Rabi, besides Rhubarb, Celery t 
Onions and Mangolds assimilate much nitrogen 
potash, and phospate in the combined forms. Peas 
and Beans, like phosphates and potash but require 
less nitrogen. Turnips, Parsnips, Carrots, Globe 
Artichokes, agree with less potash but a greater 
supply of phosphates and nitrogen. Potatos and 
Jerusalem Artichokes take potash but rather a smaller 
relative amount of nitrogen and phosphates. 
The Most Fertile Eye of the Vine.—The French 
Agricultural Society, according to Nord-Horticole, is 
to open a competition for the year 1901, for the ob¬ 
ject of studying two questions upon Vine culture. 
The questions have to be solved by experimental and 
comparative culture. They are, (1) Are there, upon 
the same rod, eyes, which by their position or rank 
on the rod, are more fertile or fruitful ? (2) Can 
that special aptitude be transmitted by grafting ? 
Every latitude is allowed competitors for the organ¬ 
isation of that experiment. The essays ought to be 
remitted before the end of the coming year to the 
Agricultural Society of France, 8, rue d’ Athenes, 
Paris, where one may get all the necessary instruc¬ 
tions. 
The Future Crop of Plums in Bosnia. —As we are 
aware the Plum production of a great part of Eastern 
Europe has, for fifteen years, played an important 
part in the Plum commerce. For this reason the 
following note sent by the French Consul at Bosna- 
Serai (Bosnia) is likely to interest Plum growers. 
" The Plum crop, which is a chief source of profit to 
the inhabitants of the north-east of Bosnia, Possavine, 
and which furnishes the local government, in 
addition to the tithe, with various other very 
important taxes, levied either on manufacture, or 
brandy sellers, is to a great extent endangered. This 
source of wealth seems, in fact, almost destroyed. 
After a month and a half of an exceedingly mild 
winter, the temperature attaining 86° Fah. in the 
sun, and even the nights being remarkably mild, 
there was a sudden change of the wind on Feb. 23rd, 
which brought snow throughout the country causing 
the temperature to fall 15 0 C. (58° F.) below zero; 
thus all the buds on the trees were frozen, and in¬ 
calculable damage done." It is, however, probable 
that such complete disaster has not fallen on all the 
Danube districts.— Jnl. de l'Agriculture, April is*, 
1899. 
