Title: The American florist : a weekly journal for the trade
Identifier: americanfloristw3008amer (find matches)
Year: 1885 (1880s)
Authors: American Florists Company
Subjects: Floriculture; Florists
Publisher: Chicago : American Florist Company
Contributing Library: UMass Amherst Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Boston Library Consortium Member Libraries

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igoS. The American Florist. 69 dotormining the clinractrristics produced in the hybrid. Now, it might be possible to take dif- ferent indiviilunls, the result of the same cross, all o' the individuals bciiif: white, the crossing two individuals might produce a large percent- ftge of whites, while crossing two other indi- viduals, all being white, might produce a large percentage of pink. This would again tend to prove the theory that the condition of the chromasomes in the cells of the individuals might exercise the parumount influence. There is another peculiar thing that seems to be the case in regard to crosses between the same individuals, and that is that crosses be- tween such individuals made at different pe- riods of the year when the plants were grow- ing under somewhat changed conditions pro- duce different results. This might lead us to the theory that the condition of the indi- vidunls at the time that impregnation takes place may exercise paramount influence over the characteristics of the progeny. This theory might seem to be proven by the results ob- tained in the production of mankind where a dozen children, the result of the union of two individuals and born at somewhat widely dif- ferent periods present widely different char- acteristics, both mental and physical as well as in appearance. My impression is that it will take several years' study in order to determine the question. Possibly it maj' be necessary in continuing my e.Kperiments to segregate the female blooms in apartments bj' themselves so as to prevent the chance of a foreign grain of pollen alighting on the pistil, as this might explain some of the ap- pamt idiosjmcrasies in the results obtained in my work. CROSSING DIFFERKNT COLORS. The summary of the results of crossing dif- ferent colors may prove very interesting. For instance—^vvhere crimson was crossed with crim- son the results produced 12 crimson and five scarlets; where dark pink was crossed with dark pink, 37 dark pinks were produced; where scarlet was crossed with scarlet, 10 scarlets were produced; where white was crossed with crimson, five whites were produced and only two scarlets; where white was crossed with whitCj 34 whites were produced, and only one white variegated with pink, there being no solid colors. Where white was crossed with crim- son, five whites were produced and two scar- lets, the balance being divided between dark pink, flesh pink and crimson, but where white was crossed with dark pink, the result was three pure whites. There is another element in making up these studies which may interfere with their value in deciding the question of paramount influence and that is that only varieties that possessed a num- ber of representative characteristics were pre- served and records kept of them. There is a great mass of material that was thrown away, and in making these crosses we were constantly selecting plants possessing all the characteris- tics desired. I am inclined to think that the fact that we threw away a lot of useless mate- rial will not change the result. For instance, taking the result of crossing white with white, there were saved for observation from these crosses 34 whites and one white variegated with pink, as all the white parents of both sides were selected not only for their good coloij but also for size and form of flower, integrity of calyx, healthy constitution, stiffness of stem, vigor of growth, and also for freedom of bloom. The fact that 34 whites were selected for trial as against only one white variegated with pink and that the results of these white crosses did not produce anything in solid colors that wotc worthy of selection for trial would seem to in- dicate that whatever laws exist in regard to the influence of the parents upon the progeny would finally prove to be applicable not only to color but to all other characteristics. Now, when we come to the consideration of pure crosses which we might specify as crosses
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ROSE RHEA REID. Exhibited at Carnation Conference by the E. G. HiD Co., Richmond, Ind. between males and females of the same color, we find the following remarkable results; A cross of white upon white produced 34 whites against one other color; a cross of light pink upon dark pink produced six light pinks as against four of other colors; a large number of crosses of dark pink upon dark pink pro- duced 37 dark pinks against 24 of other colors; a cross of scarlet upon scarlet produced 10 scar- lets. All of which would tend to indicate that by using two individuals- possessing the same characteristics, the chances to reproduce a large proportion of these same characteristics are very much enhanced. This might be shown very nicely in the cross of crimson upon scarlet, which produced 12 crimsons and five scarlets as against three of other colors. In this case it is prob- able that there was considerable crimson blood in the ancestry of the female parent. The cross of crimson oii crimson need not be taken very seriously, as it is the result of but a very small number of seeds, and I am inclined to think that there was considerable scarlet blood in either one or both of the crim- son parents. Of course when we make mosaic crosses, such as white upon scarlet, pink, crim- son, and other colors, we must expect a break- ing up of colors in the progeny, and where we cross two of the same color we must expect more or less breaking up of colors in the progeny, especially where the immediate ancestry con- tains parents of widely varying colors. Referring to examples of individual crosses, suppose we take cross 2313/07, a scarlet upon white. It will be noted that in these notes the pollen parent is mentioned first, as some other hybridizers mention the female parent first. Now, the color parentage running back for some 10 or 12 years, shows that on the male side there were six dark pink, six yellow variegated, five crimsons, three whites, two scarlets, one light pink and one white variegated. This pedigree is made up without reference to the nearness of any of the individuals of any par- ticular color being particularly near to the seed and pollen parents, but it simply indicates that among the male parentage of both &idea six dark pinks occur, etc., while, on the fe- male side, five dark pinks, three crimsons, one scarlet, four whites, five white variegated and two white flaked occur. Assuming that dark pink and crimson, purple and scarlet would tend to produce dark pink or scarlet, we should nat- urally anticipate a large number of dark pinks or scarlets, whereas we get only one dark pink, one scarlet and one white. This indicates that other influences than the percentage of the same characteristics in either or both of the ancestors may determine the characteristics in the hybrid. The results of these experiments and the study thereof has led to the conclusion that neither parent exerts predominant influence in determining the characteristcs of the progeny^ but that said characteristics may be determined from either side of the parentage or may re- sult from modified characteristics of both par- ents as well as both ancestry. Experiments In Carnation Growing:, Dr. Beverly T. Galloway, chief of the Bureau of Plant Industry, in his address before the society called attention to the experiments and tests of various kinds connected with the grow- ing of carnations which have been carried on by the Department of Agriculture for several years. Re stated that the work had for its object the securing of information on the fol- lowing points: (1) The relative yield and vigor of plants grown under glass all summer as compared with plants of the same variety grown out- doors during the summer season and moved to the benches in the usual way and at the usual time. (2) Fertilizer tests to determine the value of different fertilizers alone and in various combinations on vigor and yield. (3) A study of hereditary tendencies in bo far as same may affect continuous vigor and healthfulness and yield.

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