Book Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1869 edition. Excerpt: ... APPENDIX. The following are copies of a few of the many letters which have from time to time appeared in the various horticultural periodicals relative to these plants. They may possibly he found to be interesting, tending, as they do, to show the interest that has been taken in their production and cultivation, and showing also the opinions held by the various writers upon the subject. I.--Sports Or Seedlings? The subject of Variegation in Flowers, as produced by seeds or sports, is one of great interest to physiologists as well as florists, and I am glad to see it discussed in the leading journals on gardening. Mr. Grieve does not mention whether "Mrs. Pollock" was raised from known parents, or whether it was a chance seedling. It would be satisfactory to know this. "Mrs. Pollock," whether used as the seed-bearing or as the pollen parent, seems to produce a large percentage of the curious bronzy yellow selfs now cultivated. "Golden Fleece," or a similar form, was raised by Mr. John Goode, a very intelligent young gardener, at the Bishop of Winchester's, soon after he left my garden, where he probably, with the rest of my men, became infected with the fascination of getting a cross. "Golden Chain" is said to be a very old variety, and a sport from the wild inquinans. A gold-margined sort was known to Miller. This is said still to exist in the form of a narrower-margined sort cultivated in our gardens before it was eclipsed by "Golden Chain." I have always sought the green sport from "Golden Chain," in hopes of procuring the true inquinans for comparison, but have not yet happened to meet with it. Seedlings from "Golden Chain" all came green when used as the seed parent, and not artificially fertilized. In spite of the circumstance...