THE LADIES' FLORAL CABINET. 
215 
in a degree, control the workings of Nature. It is but a 
few years since it was generally believed that Orchids 
could not be artificially fertilized—to-day we have nu¬ 
merous seedling varieties and many hybrids of species. 
With regard to hybridizing species, I am convinced, 
after many years of patient study, that there are not so 
many species as some authorities would make us be¬ 
lieve. I am certain that the safer way would be to ex¬ 
pand the species into a wider significance by making 
the groups larger. 
Within the past four years, I have had two remark¬ 
able instances of the crossing of species. The one was 
with Phloxes. For a long time I had felt, that if Phlox- 
Drummondii could be crossed with either the varieties 
Suffruticosa or Decussata, some desirable forms would 
be had. And so, three years since, I determined upon 
the experiment, using Drummondii as the seed-parent 
in one case, and Decussata and Suffruticosa in two 
others. The result was that Decussata, and Drum¬ 
mondii would not bear seed, either oneway or the other. 
Suffruticosa would not cross with Drummondii, yet 
Drummondii did when Suffruticosa was the pollen 
parent. 
A later and still more interesting development was 
the crossing of Chrysanthemums in 1882. It has been 
frequently said that the order of Composites forms one 
of the greatest barriers to the hybridist, and there are no 
well-authenticated cases of successful fertilization by 
artificial means. Being determined to test the matter, 
as far as my experience has taught me, I selected three 
Japanese varieties, as possessing characteristics likely to 
be desirable, to be the seed parents, and three others 
likely to be the best as male parents. The result was, 
from a very few flowers I gathered enough seed,to 
give me nearly 400 plants, all of which flowered last 
fall, and while 80 per cent, of the entire lot were of the 
Japanese type, there was about one per cent, of the 
most marked pompon forms, with small leaves, close, 
habit-rayed flowers—the balance being of the ordinary 
smooth-petaled, Chinese type. If the Japanese are a 
distinct species, from whence came my pompons, or 
from whence the smoothed-petaled Chinese ? I have 
concluded that the fall-flowering Chrysanthemums are 
a large group with distinct family characteristics, rather 
than three distinct species of plants. Furthermore, I may 
say my experiment was one of the best substantiated 
experiments of cross-fertilization I ever experienced, 
and I can safely say that Chrysanthemums can be as 
easily and surely crossed as any other flower, if only 
rightly understood. 
If the forms of flowers have been so much changed, 
what shall we say of the elaboration of colors. In a 
great many cases original plants have but few shades of 
colors. Again I must refer to the Chinese Primula as 
an instance of what has been accomplished in this line. 
Only two colors were introduced, one, a white, and the 
other, a pale lilac. To-day we have from deep pink, to 
very nearly a true scarlet, intense crimson, purple, and 
some verging very close to azure blue, with the centres 
of many a rich golden yellow. 
The Cineraria, of which the old Cruentum is the 
original type, with its puny flowers and weak coloring 
of very pale rosy-pink Lilac, is the ancestor of all the 
grand flowers of to-day, with their rich coloring, of 
nearly all hues. What can I say about the Pelargo¬ 
nium : especially may I refer to the zonal group. When 
first I knew my favorites there were but very few 
shades*of color to be found in them—a scarlet shade, a 
rose shade, a pink shade, a salmon shade, and a very 
insignificant white flower, composed the actual mate¬ 
rial from which the magnificent varieties of to-day came. 
It is hardly necessary for me to ask you to look at the 
great range of colors to be found in them at this mo¬ 
ment ; and I do not hesitate to say that in ten years’ 
time there will be such shades, that to-day appear im¬ 
possible. The circle grows larger each year. New 
shades of purple, new shades of chrome, new shades 
of red, rre among the additions of this year; and 
the supposed impossible yellow Geranium seems to be 
not far distant. The practical illustrations of what has 
and can be done by cross fertilization in the short period 
of time I have mentioned is, I hope, of sufficient im¬ 
portance to interest many others in pursuit of a study 
so interesting and prolific in pleasurable results. The 
obstacle greatest to be overcome, is, perhaps the time 
required for the working out of the experiments, but 
rest assured when once begun, the interest grows as 
time flies, and to the enthusiast there is no such thing 
as failure, for Nature is so amenable to man’s desire in 
so many of his wishes, instead of being a burden, the 
study of cross-fertilization is a constant source of 
enjoyment. John Thorpe, Esq 
TALKS ABOUT FLOWERS. 
There is perhaps no flower so much cultivated by 
amateurs, and attended with so many disappointments, 
as that queen of all flowers, the Rose. Now it cannot 
be because they are more difficult to grow than other 
plants, but that we do not understand their special 
needs. 
To grow them successfully in pots in the house, we 
must give them a good rich soil, plenty of sunshine and 
air, reasonable and regular heat, and moderate moist¬ 
ure. We can never succeed with Roses in a close, cool, 
shady room, or when crowded promiscuously among 
other plants. I give mine that are not bedded out a 
window to themselves in my kitchen; because in this 
room they get more air, light, sunshine, heat and moist¬ 
ure. In hot weather I shower the foliage every morn¬ 
ing; this keeps them nice and clean, and insects rarely 
attack them. 
If Roses are wanted for winter bloom, keep them in 
pots through the summer, water sparingly, and take off 
all buds; if kept a little hungry it will not harm them. 
What we want, is for winter to find them in a healthy, 
growing condition, well supplied with working roots, 
all ready to go to work when we care most for flowers. 
When we are ready for them to begin their winter’s 
work, they should be re-potted in rich, fresh soil, set in 
’a warm sunny window, and given more water. The 
