pollination is now so well understood by gardeners that one need not dwell upon this, except to observe that it was by no means certain fifty years ago which organ was the male and which the female. It required much labour and skill by microscopists to determine that the embryo was a result of impregnation of a germ-cell within the ovary of the pistil by the pollen, and not formed in the pollen-tube itself, as Dr. Schleiden thought. In crossing flowers, as also in grafting, something must be known of the affinities of plants, for both processes will fail if the experimenter transcends a certain amount of affinity. Thus, I have known a gardener graft a Rose bud on a Black Currant, under the impression that he could get a black Rose; but as they do not belong to the same family the chance of success was very remote and completely failed. On the other hand a gardener may make a lucky hit, as was the case in grafting Garrya elliptica on Aucuba japonica, for it was not then known-except to Sir J. D. Hooker-that they belonged to the same family. Garrya being a curious type had only just before been placed in the same family when the "Genera Plantarum " was published. It was not, therefore, surprising to meet with success; but the experimenter had no grounds for believing it would succeed, or for anticipating the happy result.

The few preceding observations and illustrations will be sufficient to show that some knowledge of vegetable physiology is absolutely necessary for a practical horticulturist, and a short course of study will soon awaken the desire to know more. Having learnt of what a plant consists, and what it requires, the gardener must then exercise his judgment and skill in trying to see how he can best supply the conditions to secure its healthy growth and propagation.

OBSERVATIONS ON SOME PLANTS EXHIBITED. By the Rev. Prof. G. HENSLOW, M.A., V.M.H., &c. [June 28, 1898.]

CAMPANULAS.-A fine collection of these plants showed how the extra structures of the flowers were made, viz., as follows:(1) With a second corolla (catacorolla) only; (2) calyx, as a

tubular corolla; (3) calyx, as a saucer"; (4) stamens, petaloid; (5) various combinations.

SWEET PEAS AND SNAPDRAGONS.-These afforded good instances of a very great variety of colours-the result of interbreeding alone, without any specific crossing whatever.

PHÆNOCOMA PROLIFERA.-Fine flowering plants exhibited by Mr. Balchin, of Hassock's Gate, and some Rhodanthes illustrated the so-called "Everlasting" Flowers, with coloured or white and scarious bracts to the involucre. Mr. Henslow observed that the little yellow European Everlasting was confounded by the ancients with the purple-flowering plant known as Amarantus. Dioscorides observed that some people call the Helichryson (the true Everlasting) by the name Amarantos, a word signifying "not decaying," this word being still used for the purple-flowered "Love-lies-bleeding," of the Order Amarantaceæ. The phrase "an inheritance . . . undefiled, and that fadeth not away" (1 Pet. i. 4) is in Greek åμáparros, the name of the Everlasting Plant. Pliny described the use made of these flowers in his day-in forming chaplets for the statues of the gods; the origin, in all probability, of the circlets of immortelles used so largely on the Continent for funeral decorations. The foliage of the Phænocoma is identical in form with that of Thuias, high alpine Veronicas of New Zealand, and of Salsola Pachoi of North African deserts, &c., showing how excessive drought brings about a similar adaptation in the foliage of very different plants, but growing in similar though widely separated countries.

CHAMEROPS FORTUNEI.-A fine male inflorescence of this Palm led the lecturer to speak of the sexes of plants, that of the Date being well known to the ancients. Though the knowledge of the uses of stamens and pistils was lost in the Middle Ages, it was rediscovered in the seventeenth century, if the current belief be true that it was Sir T. Millington, Savilian Professor at Oxford in 1676, who maintained it; but both Grew and Ray soon after seem to have been quite aware of it; while Linnæus, of course, based his classification upon it.

HYBRID ROSE.-An interesting hybrid, supplied by Mr. Geo. Paul, was that of Rosa canina, grandiflora × R. Indica. The hybrid had the stem and foliage much like those of the Dog Rose, but more glossy and tinted with red. The buds, with an orange

tinge, bore witness to the "Tea" character. The flowers are large and semi-double.

ROSA SANCTA. This was an interesting Rose, having been introduced from convents in Abyssinia, and is the same as has been discovered dried in chaplets found in the tombs of Egypt; so that it was probably introduced and cultivated there from the earliest antiquity. The only wild Rose in Egypt now is R. involucrata, Roxb., white-flowered, and with obovate leaflets. It still grows semi-wild in a garden on Rhoda Island, Cairo.

PHILADELPHUS CORONARIA X P. MICROPHYLLA.-A hybrid supplied by Mr. Veitch. It has flowers intermediate in size borne on slender branches, with small leaves, more nearly resembling P. microphylla.

CAMPANULA MIRABILIS.-This is a new and remarkable species, introduced by Mr. Jackson from the Caucasus. Its round, sub-fleshy leaves with ciliated margins, &c., indicate a probable habitat of a cool and dry mountainous environment.

BLACK CURRANT × GOOSEBERRY.-A fruiting spray was supplied by Mr. Culverwell, of Thorpe Perron, Bedale. It is a remarkable hybrid, showing fruit with all the habit of the Black Currant, but green and resembling small Gooseberries. There are no spines of the Gooseberry, nor smell of the Currant, the hybrid partaking partly of some of the parental characters but losing others.

LUPINUS POLYPHYLLUS.-A new yellow-flowered seedling, probably an accidental hybrid, of considerable beauty, was shown by Mr. Kelway.

THE NEPENTHES OF AUSTRALIA.

SINCE the publication in our JOURNAL of Mr. Veitch's paper on Nepenthes ("Journal Royal Hort. Soc.," vol. xxi. p. 226) we have been in correspondence with Mr. L. A. Bernays, F.R.H.S., a Member of Parliament in Queensland, and also with Mr. F. Manson Bailey, the Government Botanist at Brisbane. Mr. Bernays very courteously draws attention to the fact that there are some described and some as yet undescribed species of Nepenthes in Queensland; and Mr. Bailey most kindly sends descriptions and drawings of five. Writing under date of

Brisbane, February 14, 1898, he says:-"Mr. Veitch makes no mention of the Queensland species Nepenthes Bernaysii, described by me in the 'Proc. of the Linnean Society of N.S. Wales,' vol. v., page 186. He contents himself with the remark, There is one in North Australia.' Now I believe that there are several as yet unrecorded species waiting for the collector on Cape York Peninsula. During my visit to that part of the colony in June 1897, I was enabled, through the kindness of Mr. F. L. Jardine, to describe two new species, which brought the number of Queensland species up to four, and I have since received specimens of one or two which may also prove fresh.

"It is generally supposed that the homes of these curious plants are the unhealthy, hot, humid parts of the globe-conditions not to be met with in any part of Australia; in fact, it would be difficult to find a more healthy locality than that in which our Australian pitcher-plants grow. The elevation above the sealevel is also but little. I merely mention this so that European growers may have some idea as to which part of the hothouse our plants should be placed in when they receive them. In passing I may remark that our Australian species seem easy to transplant, for I have seen plants which have been sent down from Cape York to Brisbane in a most careless manner, after being placed in a greenhouse, strike root and grow vigorously. "F. MANSON BAILEY."

In a subsequent letter, dated June 30, 1898, Mr. Bailey continues:" In addition to the four already published, I have received from Mr. Jardine specimens of perhaps two others. These, however, do not in my opinion furnish sufficient material for drawing up descriptions good enough for publication. The species of this genus in Queensland are, so far as at present known, all found on the northern part of Cape York Peninsula, say 1,800 or 1,400 miles from Brisbane. They are a long distance from Somerset (where Mr. Jardine resides), and after being gathered have to be brought to his residence by packhorse, so that they are often much injured by the journey; and if the inflorescence is not attached to the plant, from which I draw up the diagnosis, I can take no notice of them, for in this genus the distinction is usually very slight in different species. I enclose a sketch (natural size) by our artist, Mr. F. C. Wills, of

one (of the two just referred to), which I think there can be little doubt is as yet undescribed. The specimens were unfortunately lost off the pack-horse, the single pitcher only being saved by Mr. Jardine having placed it in his pocket-book when gathering the specimens. This species I intend to name N. Alice (fig. 31), after Miss Jardine, who, like her father, takes a deep interest in our indigenous plants.

"F. MANSON BAILEY."

He then adds the following descriptions:

F.C.Wills

FIG. 31.-NEPENTHES ALICE (Bail.).

Order NEPENTHACEA (THE PITCHER-PLANT FAMILY

NEPENTHES, Linn.

Table showing the differential characters of the Australian species:

N. Kennedyi. Fig. 32.-Stems long, climbing. Pitchers inflated below the middle, without any crest on the anterior