870 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
October 29, 1904. 
times it was the opinion of botanists and plant students that 
species varied but little if at all. More recently it was 
believed, in the time of Dean, Herbert for instance, that species 
'had the potentiality of varying, but that genera placed an 
immutable barrier beyond which the plant breeder could not 
pass. 
All these ideas had been broken down by the late Mr. 
Charles Darwin,, and other students of plant life have endorsed 
his opinion. The great naturalist did indeed show that the 
so-called barriers to crossing were rather a question of the 
structure of species 1 and even, of varieties than, one of 
kind. The author of the paper says that the innumerable 
forms of plant life are the result, of crossing and hybridising 
acted upon; by tire environment in which the plants find them¬ 
selves 1 . That environment would, of course, include the soil, 
prevailing moisture, both at the roots and in the atmosphere, 
light and temperature, together with any other external agency 
acting upon the plants in question. 
Every new generation of plants arising from seedlings 
strives to adapt itself to its. surroundings', and the constantly 
varying forces which act and re-act upon plant life have in 
the corn'se of the past ages of the world given, us the innumer¬ 
able plant forms we now possess or -see around us* If plants 
could not vary in, order to adapt themselves to their surround¬ 
ings: they would, in, time, sooner or later, die out. The object 
of the plant breeder is to' guide tire inherent forces in plant 
life by disturbing their stability in order to bring about varia¬ 
tions and new combinations 1 of qualities, which might be siuit- 
.able to mankind, according t.o the object in view and the 
plants upon which the operations are being made. In cross¬ 
ing plants bad a® well as good qualities are combined, but 
human intelligence is directed towards those seedlings which 
offer 'something of value to tire cultivator. 
In the past, the improvements, 1 which have been effected 
■have been largely accomplished by unconscious, or at best 
half conscious, plant breeding. Ini the future Ire thinks that 
those who would successfully raise new varieties must be 
equipped for the purpose by being a skilful botanist and 
biologist. He must, have some definite idea to work upon, 
and also have a relative idea of the results, that would accrue 
from any particular cross. 
Judging from wlrat lne says, it is.not possible to obtain what 
the. plant breeder may be looking for by combining any two 
plants, owing to t.lre peculiar combination' of tendencies, quali¬ 
ties and other features which have: been inherited through a 
long number of generations, but Ire can, nevertheless., so coin- 
bin,e plants as to bring about some of the qualities for which 
lie is looking. Hi,si first aim is to combine the various qualities 
and inherited: properties in, new hybrids’ or cross-bred varieties 
so- as: to give a wider 1 field of selection brought about by the 
perturbation of crossing. 
He thinks that plants’ having numerous representatives in 
various parts of the world generally possess touch greater 
power of variation than those limited to one specieisi. While 
this; may be true in a sense, we do not find that florists in, the 
past have, always acted upon it or have been, rewarded by avail¬ 
ing themselves of any new species of the genus, for the produc¬ 
tion of fine new varieties. This may or may not, have been 
due to their lack of an initiative in the early stages of the 
work, and now that they have gone so far with certain plants 
they cannot turn back to derive any benefit from these closely 
allied species. 
For instance, few can admit that Carnations have owed their 
origin to any other species than Diant,hus Caryophyllus. In 
like manner most, if not all, of the Pinks have been derived 
from D. plumarius. If we turn to the Chinese Primula we 
cannot refer to any other species with which it has been 
crossed. Indeed, very few of the Primulas that are at, all dis¬ 
tantly allied have been, crossed, and those who try it havel 
mostly arrived at negative results. This, of course, may be 
due to the lack of that particular knowledge which would 
enable us to utilise, various species of this genus: for the pro¬ 
duction of useful hybrids. The flowers are dimorphic, and this 
may be regarded as, a specialisation that has been reached only 
by a, few of the other genera and species in cultivation,. 
The inexperienced plant breeder works at a great disad¬ 
vantage by comparison with those who have spent, practically 
a lifetime in, making many experiments. Neither has he the 
keen perception by which the experienced plant breeder can 
detect the endless variations in size, colour, fragrance, earliness 
or lateness of flowering, and other small but, useful variations, 
all readily perceived and taken advantage of. by the 
experienced. 
After having arrived at something really valuable, the next 
point is t,o perpetuate the same. In the ease of annuals repro¬ 
duced by seed, it is often necessary to grow the newcomer or 
novelty for a number of years or generations: in order toi weed 
out 'the rogues that may appear, and fix the desired form. In 
the case of herbaceous perennials, trees and shrubs, when any 
particular or valuable form has arisen, 'their reproduction by 
division, budding, or grafting is an easy matter. Mr. Burbank 
says that there is “ no: known limit to the improvement of 
plants by education, breeding and selection.” 
Water Scene at Aldenham House. 
* (See Supplement .) 
Our supplementary illustration on this occasion shows what 
may be done to beautify ©states even on a small scale by means 
of tree®, shrubs: and water. A pond or lake need not be of large 
size to produce a striking' and very pleasing effect;. By the 
judicious; use of trees and shrubs a sheet of water may be 
made to, appear much larger than it really is. Being hidden 
or surrounded by banks and groups of trees and shrubs, in this 
instance the visitor at length comes upon it unaware®. A view 
can only be obtained from it, at certain points, and we think 
tire finest view is represented in, our illustration. The' real 
scene, however, needs to be seen to appreciate it, at its full 
value. 
The large trees seen in the picture' are Elms, with one tall 
Lombardy Poplar. A few Conifers come into view in front of 
the taller ones, and the rest consists of banks of choice shrubs, 
many of which are scarce, and only to be found in a, few private 
establishment®. Sonne weeks 1 ago we discussed the, question of 
the choicer tree® and shrubs to be found here, so that in this 
instance we shall only refer to those immediately concerned 
in producing the effect around the margin of the, water. 
On the water itself the Fringed Buck Beau, which we have 
discussed in another column, has been used, together with 
several Water Lilies, including Nympliaea, niarliacea clirotinar 
tella: and the yellow Nuphar advena. The latter is: a much 
larger plant than the British, N. lutea, and is. further orna¬ 
mented with red stamens inside the yellow petals. 
Around the margins are some common but, effective sub¬ 
jects, including Phragmites communis, a, large mass of which 
comes into view on the left. On the’ right-hand side: of the 
picture a very fine effect Iras been produced by red-barked 
varieties of the Dogwood (Cornu® alba sibiriea), which is 
effective during the summer on account of its long, leafy 
shoots producing a mass of foliage, and in winter on account, 
of the bright red colour of its shoots. Some masses of the 
purple Hazel are chiefly noticeable when in leaf, though not, 
without a pleasing effect in winter. In, the far distance a 
number of bushes may be seen, resembling Bamboos. These 
are really stools of such British Willows a,® Salix alba car- 
dinalis and S. a. vitellina,, the former having glossy deep 
red stems, already well coloured up in August, and the latter 
having yellow shoots. These are cut, down annually, so that 
the stools merely throw shoots of a, certain height, that are 
always well within bounds, and much, more highly coloured 
than they would be if allowed Tio attain any size or age. 
Mr. Weary Gibbs 1 , a son of Lord Aldenham, is more pleased 
perhaps with this water scene than that of any other in, the 
grounds. He is chiefly responsible for the immense variety 
of shrubs on the estate, this being a form of gardening which 
appeals to him above all others, and as a matter of course he 
is more interested in, the water from the fact that so many 
of his favourites have been employed in the production of 
this beautiful scene. 
