78 
THE FLORIST’S JOURNAL. 
Tridace^e. — Triandria Monogynia. 
Gladiolus gandiensis. Has probably received its name from having come 
from Ghent to this country. It is evidently of hybrid extraction, and 
G. communis is most likely one of its parents. To that species, indeed, it 
bears much resemblance, but has more of the open flowers of G. pudibundus 
with a slight indication of its tints. Whatever may have been its origin, it 
is certainly a noble plant, and flowers in great abundance. — Pax. Mag. Bot. 
[The habit of the plant and colour of the flowers remind us more of an 
improved G. psittacinus than either of the species mentioned. — Ed. F. J.] 
Oxagrace^e. — Octandria Monogynia. 
Fuchsia (hybrid vars.), Attraction, President, and Colossus. Mr. John 
Standish, nurseryman, of Bagshot, obtained the above kinds in the following 
manner. In 1841, he raised a number of seedlings from Thomson’s Formosa 
elegans, crossed by Corymbijlora • they were very pretty and free growers, but 
not particularly different from the hybrids of F. fulgens, except that they seeded 
abundantly, which those hybrids rarely do. Having saved some of those seeds 
without any fertilising, Mr. Standish was astonished to find, in 1843, that the 
produce had acquired so much larger leaves and flowers as to be nearly twice 
the size. They are more soft-wooded than the hybrids of fulgens, and 
exhibit the interesting fact, that instead of degenerating when propagated by 
seed without being fertilised, they improve to a very great degree. Attrac¬ 
tion has the pleasing aspect of the old F. globosa, with longer and more acute 
as well as reflexed sepals, and immensely larger corollas, which are of the 
richest purple. President is a longer and bolder flower, more in the way of 
F. Standishii, Avith a much better corolla. Colossus has a shorter tube, less 
reflexed sepals, and a fine purple (crimson) corolla. — Pax. Mag. Bot. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Sir, — The very different periods through which seeds preserve their vitality 
has long been a matter of interest to me; can you give me an idea as to 
what it may be attributed, that one kind of seed may be preserved good for 
almost an indefinite time, while another kind becomes useless in two years.—- 
An Admirer. 
One of the causes for this difference exists in the formation of the seed 
itself: those kinds having a thick woody epidermis resist the influence of 
atmospheric changes, than which nothing destroys the vitality of seeds 
sooner, while those having only a thin soft skin are affected by these 
fluctuations which act by exciting the vital energy ©f the seed, and then 
from want of aliment it necessarily perishes. For the preservation of seeds 
it is necessary that they should be placed in a situation as remote from these 
changes as possible; glass bottles securely sealed, or tin boxes wrapped in 
some material impervious to air, are perhaps the best means. Last season 
we raised plants from seeds gathered in China fifteen years before; these 
had been kept in small porcelain vases filled tightly with a substance re¬ 
sembling fine bone-dust or pounce, the necks of the vessels being covered 
with oiled paper. 
S. X. — You will find hand-glasses most convenient for protecting 
Auriculas while in bloom ; they require plenty of air and light, and to be 
carefully preserved from rain, wind, and sun. 
Cantab. — It is too late to do any thing with Ranunculuses this season; 
remind us of the list next autumn, and you shall have a good one. You 
may fill the bed with German Asters, they will be useful for the September 
exhibitions. 
