M A V , 1912 
HOUSE AND GARDEN 
37 
ceeded in rooting two cuttings of jNIadam Salleroi geranium — the 
little green-and-white foliage plant — in both of which all the 
leaves are a pure golden rvhite. It is possible, that they will live, 
and the type become fixed; but albinos, in both plant and animal 
life, lack stamina and virility, and therefore I shall not be sur¬ 
prised if these prove to be weaklings, although they appear, so 
far, perfectlv normal and healthy. But the plant breeders, even 
the big fellows, expect many disappointments and failures: out 
of hundreds of seedlings they are thankful to get one that is a 
real improvement. So we, who can get our reward in the fun of 
the thing as we go along, can afford to have patience. Such work 
will at least shed a new and a more illuminating light upon our 
gardens, sun-lit though they have been before. It will bring us 
into more intimate relationships, and finer appreciations. 
As an inspiration 
to you — to say noth¬ 
ing of the opportuni¬ 
ties afforded of add¬ 
ing some of these 
beautiful new things 
to your garden — let 
us take a look at 
some of the wonder¬ 
ful recent achieve¬ 
ments in the evolu¬ 
tion of flowers. 
Everyone has 
heard of the grand 
new Spencer sweet 
peas, with their deli- 
c a t e self-shadings 
and marvelous size, 
but do you know of 
the double or duplex 
Spencer? You have 
probably grown 
some of the gorge¬ 
ous new hybrids and 
named varieties of 
gladioli, but have 
you yet seen a ruf¬ 
fled one ? Who does 
not remember the 
advent of the Crimson Rambler — but are you aware that it has 
been surpassed in its owm class; and that such grand roses as 
American Beauty, President Carnot and Kaiserin Auguste Vic¬ 
toria may now be had in climbing form, thus giving both decora¬ 
tion and bloom for cutting, on good stems? 
There is no annual flower which has been developed more 
rapidly during recent years than the sweet pea — our grand¬ 
mothers would hardly recognize some of the latest productions 
of the hybridizer's art. The new duplex type, especially, is dif¬ 
ferent from any of its predecessors — called “duplex” rather than 
double because several years ago another double strain, which for 
several reasons proved unsatisfactory, was tried and then dropped 
by most seed houses. In Pearl Gray a new color has been attained. 
The dw'arf Cupid, growing less than a foot high and over a foot 
across, and blooming freely, should be more extensively known, 
as it is available for many places where the tall sorts could not be 
used. 
great improvement has been achieved in tuberous begonias in 
the Wundulata type, with its ruffled and fringed edges, giving 
these beautiful flow'ers an additional charm. Among the fibrous 
rooted sorts, the new^ double Wrnon is very striking. Begonias, 
especially the tuberous rooted sorts, are too infrequently seen. 
If you have not yet grown them, you are missing one of the best 
flowers in existence. 
Another long-un¬ 
appreciated flower is 
the Aiitirrhimmi or 
snapdragon, one of 
the most lasting and 
beautiful of all flow¬ 
ers for use in vases. 
The new half-dwarf 
strain, growing less 
than two feet high, 
s h o u 1 d result in 
making these more 
popular. There is 
also now a double 
strain, attractively 
fantastic, but 1 think 
the “singles,” if one 
m a y so describe 
them, more heauti- 
ful, for the unique 
dragon's jaw forma¬ 
tion of their flowers 
is part of their pe¬ 
culiar charm. 
Salvias are usually thought of only as red-flowered border 
plants. Did you know that they can be bad also in an attractive 
rose, in yellow, white, and a new blue, with much larger flowers 
than the old A. Patens? What would be more interesting in your 
garden than a bed of these several sorts? And as salvias come 
true from seed, here is a fine chance to try a little hybridizing. 
(Continued on page 63 ) 
The Spencer type of sweet pea has been developed to have larger 
blossoms and more brilliant coloring — Pearl Gray is a new shade 
Dahlia blossoms tied up after fertilization 
from another flower to produce a new type 
