114 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
July 7, 1900. 
plasm, and its excitability. There are always two 
lines of evidence to prove anything in Nature; one 
is accumulative, and the other is inductive evidence. 
The former is built up by experiment, the latter by 
observation. On poor and barren soil we nearly 
always find spiny plants such as the Furze, Ononis 
spinosa and others. But grow them in good soil, 
give them plenty of water, and what happens ? 
According to Prof. HeDslow’s personal experiments 
most of the spines disappear. And there you clinch 
the argument. 
Yet why does a plant respond to external con¬ 
ditions ? No one can provide an answer. We can 
go back again to the chromosomes, and, said the 
lecturer, " all I can say is that these little bodies and 
the protoplasm, instead of building up tissues which 
form spines or flowers, simply build up tissue which 
give them a new character and makes them different." 
That fact is the most peculiar of all, and the most 
mysterious. Protoplasm indeed acts as though it 
were an intelligent being, as though it knew what it 
was about. The cells divide and divide again and 
presently take on the new shape according to the 
circumstances which mould them. 
Some convincing illustrations were produced by 
the Professor to demonstrate how the same plant 
might vary under opposite conditions. On Rhodes 
Island near Cairo there grows a Reed much like our 
common English Reed (Phragmites communis) 
which in very dry places becomes exceedingly 
dwarf and spiny. When it has its natural conditions 
of mud and moisture it bears its proper form of a 
giant Reed. A German botanist has seen and named 
the dwarf form as a variety of the taller plant, but 
Prof. Henslow maintains from experience that the 
plants are the same. The " stenophylla” form pro¬ 
duces the broad leaved when grown in water. And 
so with leaves of Aralia Veitchii, broad leaves with 
fewer segments are produced by grossly fed plants, 
and fine narrow ones by plants under ordinary treat¬ 
ment. Having grown Ononis spinosa for two years 
in semi-aquatic conditions, Prof. Henslow stated 
that little difference was noticed the first season, but 
at the end of the next year the new growth had 
absolutely no spines. If the plants were grown under 
the same conditions for many years, the spineless 
character would become fixed. 
A number of comparisons were now made to show 
how plants growing in quite different parts of the 
world, but under like circumstances, had all the 
same character, mimicked each other in fact. The 
Ericas of South Africa, the Epacris of 
Australia, the Thuyas and Junipers of Europe 
and America were almost identical in foliage, 
&c , with the Tamarix of Africa, and the Veronicas 
(V. buxifolia) of the higher regions of New Zealand, 
are all much alike. The vegetation of dry zones— 
the Euphorbias of the Soudan, the Stapelias of the 
Cape, the Cereus of Mexico—all are similar. If the 
opposite conditions are looked into we find the Water 
Crowfoot and the Water Violet (Hottonia palustris) 
belonging to Primulaceae—be it noted, not a Violet 
at all—agree in habit with the Cabomba of the 
tropics. 
Professor Henslow has a theory that all mono¬ 
cotyledons have originally descended from aquatic 
dicotyledons. The whole range of facts go to point 
such a conclusion. The little Celandine,which flowers 
in springtime, has only one cotyledon, and it has air- 
chambers throughout just as true aquatics have. 
Trapa natans has only one cotyledon. Many mono¬ 
cotyledons are dicotyledonous in the very early 
stage, but the second cotyledon is only rudimentary, 
and becomes abortive as in Asparagus. 
It is from many characters agreeing in this manner, 
that we work up " inductive evidence.” 
One more example of how circumstances alter 
cases or rather structures. The common Arrow¬ 
head (Sagittaria sagittifolia) when it produces leaves 
under water is obliged to elongate them into ribbon 
shape, but when they are produced in the air they 
form basal lobes in the well-known way. The 
reason for parallel venation in many monocotyle¬ 
dons is thus made clearer to us. The " leaves " are 
not leaves properly speaking, they are phyllodes 
or leaf-stalks having the properties of leaves. 
When the one time aquatic plant becomes terres¬ 
trial, as sometimes may be observed, the power of 
heredity (which is always present) comes in and 
fixes the acquired character. There is always a 
fight going on between the power of variation and 
the power of heredity. Man or nature, or both, 
combine to cause variation in plants (mostly against 
hereditary tendency be it noted), and when variation 
has been carried far enough heredity steps in and 
says, “ Well you've had your share in the ruling, 
I’ll now have mine." A capital illustration is fur¬ 
nished by the Brassica tribe and which was used by 
Prof. Henslow. All our garden Cabbage and Cauli¬ 
flower crops have originated from the wild Cabbage 
(Brassica oleracea) of our coasts, and they remain 
quite constant though they are so greatly changed 
from the original type. Other of our garden crops 
such as Carrots, Turnips and Parsnips are further 
instances of these ancient natural laws (known to the 
Greeks long ago) of variation in the first place, and 
the " fixing power " of heredity in the second place. 
VISITS TO NURSERIES. 
MESSRS. STANLEY, ASHTON & CO. 
The Orchid nursery of Messrs. Stanley, Ashton & 
Co. is situated at Chase Side, Southgate, London, 
N., within easy reach of London, being six and a-half 
miles from King’s Cross. The nursery is about two 
miles from Palmer’s Green station, and may be 
reached by ’bus or cab. Messrs. Stanley, Ashton & 
Co. are both importers and growers of Orchids, the 
growing being an easy matter compared with the 
risks attached lo importing. Of a recent importa¬ 
tion of 20,000 Odontoglossum crispum, about 16,000 
were found to be dead on arrival at their destination. 
The rest are just beginning to make fresh growth. 
In passing through the Cymbidium house we noted 
fine pieces of C. tracyanum, C. hookerianum and 
other popular and handsome species. There were 
also two massive pieces of Coelogyne cristata alba 
now making up any number of young growths. 
Cypripediums are grown in large quantities and in 
great variety. In this house the various forms of C. 
insigne are located, including the handsomely spotted 
C. i. montanum type, and the yellow varieties, 
amongst which we noted C. i. Ernesti. Oncidium 
tigrinum is found to be a very useful species for 
autumn decoration and for cut flowers which are 
largely in request. A house is devoted to this 
species so that the requisite or proper treatment can 
be given. The plants continue to bloom from 
autumn to Christmas. There is also a good demand 
for plants, as it is one of the easiest species to grow. 
The house is in three divisions, and large Importa¬ 
tions are made to keep it filled. 
A large house, having various aspects secured by 
the form and arrangement of the staging, accommo¬ 
dates a great variety of subjects accordingly. There 
is a fine lot of such things as Cypripedium spicer- 
ianum, C. Charlesworthii, C. ciliolare, C. Milneri, C. 
lawrenceanum and C. Curtisii, the large flowers of 
the latter being particularly fine. A batch of Vanda 
caerulea in a cool and airy position is now making 
fine growth. Cattleya scbilleriana is suspended from 
the roof in pans, and kept well supplied with 
moisture at the roots. Sobralia macrantha is carry¬ 
ing massive flowers. A fine lot of Cattleya dowiana 
aurea is doing well. In another aspect the beautiful 
Cypripedium Evenor superbum is pushing up its 
flowers. Other choice things are C. Gertrude 
Hollington, C. bellatulum, C. Parishii and C. Mor- 
ganiae. The fine plants of the latter are in robust 
health. Dendrobium Phalaenopsis schroderianum 
is useful and popular for the sake of its cut flowers, 
and to meet the demand large quantities of it are 
grown. Other species and hybrids include D. 
splendidissimum, D. nobile, D. n. nobilius, D. 
Parishii, D. cooksonianum, D. atroviolaceum, D. 
suavissimum and D. formosum giganteum, the two 
latter being in bloom. Cut flowers of the last named 
are much in request. Some 500 plants of C. spicer- 
ianum are also located here. 
The Phalaenopsis house contains P. grandiflora, 
P. amabilis, P. sanderiana, P. luddemanniana and 
others, the two latter being in bloom. Stanhopea 
eburnea is represented by a fine piece in a basket. 
The New Nursery. 
This closely adjoins the old one and is laid out on 
such a plan that each house of a large block is 
130 ft. long, span-roofed, and all running parallel 
with one another. The whole block, not yet com¬ 
pleted, is heated from one large stokehole with 
powerful boilers. Of Laelia tenebrosa several hun¬ 
dreds were in bloom the other week, and a great 
amount of variation was to be seen amongst them. 
Very fine were the dark varieties having a large black 
blotch in the throat. Very curious it was to see 
Cattleya labiata flowering at mid-summer. Being a 
recent importation, this explains the unseasonable 
appearance of the flowers. C. Loddigesii is evi¬ 
dently a favourite, a large quantity of it being 
laden with sheaths, while those in bloom carried 
from seven to fifteen flowers on a scape. C. Harris- 
oniae violacea is also grown in quantity, as is also 
Laelia harpophylla. L. purpurata may always be 
seen in quantity here, and in great variety. L. dig- 
byana is now in season, its large flowers and 
deeply fringed lip being striking and peculiar. 
Cattleyas are likewise a strong feature of this same 
house, some of the forms of Cattleya Warneri being 
very fine. C. gaskelliana is also in season and 
flowering in quantity along the whole length of the 
staging on one side of the house. C. Trianaei is 
making up its sheaths in preparation for another 
season. Others represented in this house are C. 
gigas, C. Mendelii and C. Mossiae, a recent import¬ 
ation of the latter containing a batch of white varie¬ 
ties. Many of the above are always strongly in 
evidence at the Temple Show from the nursery of 
this firm. 
The next house to this contains a large importa¬ 
tion of Laelia anceps sanderiana and other nearly 
white varieties of that type, not yet potted up. This 
type is said to be getting scarce in its native habi¬ 
tats. One enormous piece has been brought home 
entire and is to be kept unbroken. Another lot con¬ 
sists of plants supposed to be Laelia gouldiana; 
and Oncidium varicosum may be added. A very 
pretty Odontoglossum named O. crispum Julia is 
notable for a group of rich brown blotches on each 
of the sepals and petals. Here also is located the 
remainder of the large importation above mentioned. 
The Southgate firm makes a speciality of O. crispum, 
and this is to continue to be one of the features of 
the nursery. All their plants are imported from the 
Pacho district from whence all the finest forms of 
this, the most popular species comes. 
Three other houses entered are almost given up to 
O. crispum, either newly imported or established 
for greater or less periods of time. A large quantity 
of the established plants is flowering and show 
many beautiful combinations of colour. That fine 
yellow Oncidium concolor keeps them company. 
In the fourth house of O. crispum other useful 
species are included such as O. triumphans, O. Pes- 
catorei, O. Hallii, O. Rossii majus O. andersonian- 
um and O. cordatum, though O. crispum in strong 
plants constitutes the bulk. Oncidium macranthum 
is doing well, as is the true Masdevallia elephant- 
ipes, which is by no means a common plant. It 
has purple-tinted, leathery leaves of great substance. 
The Cattleya Mossiae house was a fine sight quite 
recently, for over 4,000 flowers were cut in one week. 
Choice varieties include such as C. M. reineckeana, 
C. M. Wageneri, and C. M. arnoldiana. Some large 
plants of the type carried as many as forty-eight 
flowers each. 
Another house of the same length, namely,130 ft., 
gives shelter to a variety of subjects'that delight in 
an intermediate temperature. Amongst them may 
be noted Odontoglossum Insleayi, the rare and 
pretty O. madrense, and O. Cervantesi; also O. 
citrosmum in great variety, and now in the height of 
its season. They vary with creamy, rosy, sulphur, 
and white sepals and petals, the latter being O. c. 
album. The flowers are delightfully fragrant. The 
true, old type of Laelia autumnalis atrorubens is 
grown in quantity. The Oncidiums are well 
represented by O. marshallianum in fine form ; O. 
ceboletta, with terete leaves; O. unicorne, O. 
varicosum, O, Forbesii, O. sarcodes, and a beautiful 
new variety named O. flexuosum unicolor, in which 
the brown spots have entirely disappeared, leaving 
the flower uniformly yellow. A number of white 
Cattleyas were collected in flower so that their merits 
are known. C. Skinneri is also staged in quantity. 
A batch of Laelia autumnalis was collected in bloom, 
and their special colours marked. One has the 
darkest flowers ever seen. There are also variable 
quantities of Bifrenaria, Miltonia vexillaria, Laelia 
pumila, the pretty L. jongheaua, and a splendid lot 
of L. flava, the pick of 2,000. Epidendrum vitelli- 
num majus, with its bright orange flowers, represents 
a colour that is by no means too common amongst 
Orchids. Being now- in season a large batch of 
plants makes a glow in the house, such as few others 
could at this season of the year 
The plants are all kept scrupulously clean, and 
