THE LADIES’ FLORAL CABINET. 
7 
time. All our hybrid varieties are short-lfved, or, rather, 
they are subject to disease, so much so that it is next to 
an impossibility to keep up a collection of old and favorite 
sorts. Hence the necessity of new seedlings to take the 
place of those that drop from the ranks. There is another 
reason why seedlings are so much grown, viz., the desire 
for new forms and colors. The great popularity of the 
Gladiolus calls for large quantities of bulbs, and most of 
its admirers do not care for many of the same variety; on 
the contrary, the amateur wants his collection to contain 
as many distinct sorts as possible. To meet this demand 
is one of the important aims of this firm, and that their 
object is fully accomplished may be seen at any of the 
Gladiolus exhibitions held in this country. The number 
of seedlings they grow annually is simply immense, and 
among the vast number it is a rare sight to see a poor one, 
or one at least void of interest. From among those 
annually produced, a small number is selected which are 
to be given distinctive names, if, on trial, they stand the 
severe test given them. To be worthy of a name, the 
flower must have form, size, color and substance, and so 
arranged on the spike as to give it a bold and pleasing 
appearance; it must withal have a vigorous constitution, 
in order that it will rapidly reproduce, and such combina¬ 
tions are exceedingly rare. The extent of the Gladiolus 
industry alone gives this firm a prominent place among 
American plant-growers. Their usefulness, however, 
should not be estimated by the number of bulbs produced, 
but rather by the effort constantly employed to elevate the 
character of their productions, which is not only essential 
to meet a demand, but to create one, a work that is equally 
beneficial to every one interested in the trade. 
The practical work of hybridizing, or cross-breeding, is 
in its infancy in this country; it has not kept pace with 
our improved methods of cultivation. Although the 
scientific bearing of the subject has been fully explained, 
and it is generally understood, the operation is generally 
regarded slow and unremunerative. Messrs. Hallock, 
Son & Thorpe are now thoroughly interested in the work, 
and the attention they have bestowed on the improve¬ 
ment on the various classes of plants as here named has 
produced very marked results. There is scarcely a cata¬ 
logue in this country or in Europe that does not list some 
of their productions. Their labor of love in this direction 
does not weary or grow old, and it is a most interesting 
sight to watch the development of the many infant forms 
to be seen in their establishment. Many of their seed¬ 
ling Geraniums show marked characteristics in their seed- 
leaves ; these are constantly watched; the parentage of 
each being well known, the character of the offspring as 
it is developed is watched with a peculiar interest. None 
other than a true lover of a plant can do this work; it is 
by no means a business pursuit. As a business, plants 
can be propagated and cultivated, but that is not the love 
that is required to nurse and tend the infant plant; the 
latter is of a far higher order, and one that is as necessary 
for the development of the plant, as it is for the develop¬ 
ment of human character. 
We do not envy this firm their large and increasing 
business, their industry entitles them to that; but the 
love that Mr. Thorpe has for his most fascinating work, 
and the patient industry, a most important element,which is 
a marked feature in his organization, we certainly do envy. 
Although the work of hybridizing, in order to produce 
new forms and colors, is an important feature, it is by no 
means the principal one. We see here Lilies of every 
kind grown in suph quantities as to surprise any one not 
familiar with the business ; while Tuberoses, Iris, and in 
fact, all kinds of bulbs, tubers and herbaceous plants that 
can be grown in this climate, are here to be found in pro¬ 
portionate quantities. Nor does their industry stop here. 
The growing and dissemination of small fruit plants is 
another and important branch, as is the production and 
sale of cut flowers. It is not our object to speak of the 
extent of anyone’s business in these notices ; that is purely 
a personal matter, uninteresting to our readers. It is the 
character of the business that gives it importance, and it 
is that of which we aim to speak. It is sometimes diffi¬ 
cult to do that as we would like; language cannot always 
be made to convey the impressions that one receives 
when visiting an establishment where the industry is con¬ 
genial to his own tastes. In looking through this estab¬ 
lishment, and noticing the various changes through which 
a plant passes, from seed form to old age, that descrip¬ 
tions are lost sight of, and the industry is seemingly a part 
of ourselves. In visiting this establishment it is what one 
is made to feel and know more than what one sees that 
makes a visit interesting. While plants and flowers of 
all kinds are objects of the greatest interest, there is still 
something more beautiful, that is a love for them. It is 
for the manifestation of that love, and its power to make 
itself felt, that a visit to Messrs. Hallock, Son & Thorpe’s 
nursery at any time, but more particularly in the summer, 
is both pleasant and profitable. 
THE ROCK ROSES. 
(HELIANTHEMUMS.) 
P ROBABLY there are few natural orders which can 
boast of so large a proportion of thoroughly desira¬ 
ble garden plants as Cistacce, of which Cistus and Helian- 
themum are the two most important genera. The head¬ 
quarters of the genus is the Mediterranean region; a few 
occur from the Levant to the Punjaub, some half-dozen 
hail from North and Central America, three from South 
America, and a few are found in Europe and the 
Canary Islands. As some Helianthemums are fre¬ 
quently met with in garden and other literature under the 
name of Cistus, it may be well to briefly indicate here the 
principal distinctive characters of the two. In Cistus the 
placentae are five in number (rarely three), and the valves 
of the seed vessel number five also; the embryo is circi- 
