18 
ON THE REPRODUCTION OF CRYPTOGAMOUS PLANTS. 
than superbus, but desirable for the distinctness of 
its colour. 
Gandavensis splendens .— This is also a strong-growing 
plant, and deep in colour, losing all the orange cast 
which distinguishes the gandavensis varieties. 
Gandavensis coccineo-striatus is a new and strong variety, 
and a great acquisition, being a dwarf grower, from 
two to three feet high, producing a fine spike of 
bloom. The ground colour is orange, beautifully 
striated with brilliant orange scarlet. 
These are the best of the dark varieties which I am acquainted with. I will now mention a few 
light ones 
Floribundus superbus .— This variety of floribundus is a 
clear white, having the lower petals marked with a 
dense stripe of violet; it grows about four feet 
high. 
Vernalis spicatus is an intermediate variety, of robust 
habit, and growing about four feet high. The 
flowers are French white, striated with rose colour. 
Albicans roseus is the next in height. The colour of 
this branching variety is indicated by its name; 
height about three feet. 
Ramosus superbus. — This erect - growing variety of 
ramosus is of dwarf habit, being much larger but 
more delicate in colour than the others. It attains 
the height of about two feet. 
The above descriptions and explanations will assist those who are desirous of growing a selection 
of Gladioli suitable for flower-garden decoration.— J. Cole, gardener to J. Willmore, Esq., Wellington 
Road, Birmingham. 
OK THE REPRODUCTION OF CRYPTOGAMOUS PLANTS. 
m R- HENFREY in his recent report on the present state of our knowledge of the reproduction of 
the higher Cryptogams, laid before the British Association at Ipswich, after giving a summary 
of the facts now on record respecting the occurrence of the organs termed antheridia and pistillidia 
in all the higher cryptogamous families, as the Mosses, Liverworts, Ferns, Horsetails, Club-mosses, and 
the Rhizocarps, remarks, that “ the phenomena in the Ferns and Equisetums, as well as in the Rhizo- 
carps, Lycopods, and Quill worts less strikingly, seem to present a series of conditions analogous 
to those which have been described under the name of ‘ alternations of generations ’ in the animal 
kingdom; and seeing the resemblance which the pistillidia of Mosses bear to the ‘ ovules 9 of other 
families, we can hardly help extending the same views to them, in which case we should have the 
remarkable phenomenon of a compound organism, in which a new individual, forming a second 
generation, developed after a process of fertilization, remains attached organically to its parent, from 
which it differs totally in all anatomical and physiological characters.” There is an “ essential difference 
between such a case, and that of the occurrence of flower buds and leaf buds upon the same stem in the 
Phanerogams, as part of a single plant, yet possessing a certain amount of independent vitality, for 
these are produced from each other by simple extension, by a process of gemmation; while the Moss 
capsule, if the sexual theory be correct, is the result of a true reproductive process. Moreover, we 
have the analogy to the increase by germination in the innovations by which the leafy stems of the 
Mosses are multiplied.” These anomalous conditions lose their remarkable characters to a great 
extent, if we refuse to accept the evidences of sexuality which have been brought forward. If the 
structures are all products of mere extension or gemmation, the analogies which have been supposed 
to exist between them and the organs of flowering plants, all fall to the ground. But in this view Mr. 
Henfrey does not acquiesce, believing the hypothesis of sexuality to be based on solid grounds._ 
Botanical Gazette. 
- ♦ - 
ON THE HYBRIDATION OF PLANTS. 
IjW ^ observations warrant me in laying down the following propositions as universal laws :_ 
L Hybrid plants are produced readily only in particular genera. The artificial raising of hybrids 
involves great difficulties, and even when the greatest care is taken in the fertilization, the experiments 
are only occasionally successful. 
Observation. Gardeners talk commonly of hybrids produced by artificial fertilization where this is 
by no means the case. A hybrid is the intermediate form between two good species. The mass of the 
