As Mr. Douglas has so far been successful in crossing Aquilegias can he not go a step farther and endeavour to cross the single white garden variety upon a chrysantha, in the hope of obtaining eventually a pure white form of that robust and beautiful species? The great charm of chrysantha is that its blooms are so erect and bold, and hence are so much more elegant than are the finest flowers to be found on the garden varieties, as nearly all these are not only deficient in spur, but are drooping. I have the white varieties here, both single and double, but care little for the latter form in any color. There is also a dark blue kind, that might make a good pollen parent. Specially, however, I should like to see the pale straw hue of chrysantha deepened into a rich yellow, as the flowers would then be far more striking than they now are. I must say that, having grown chrysantha, Californica, Mr. Douglas' hybrids, and glandulosa side by side, I have found not the least variation in the seedlings of the former and the latter, whilst Californica has given one form that seems to be brighter and finer than its parent, though the same combination of color is retained. Hence I infer that natural hybridisation is not common, and that to secure crossing artificial fertilisation must be adopted.

Would that glandulosa had the habit of chrysantha, as its flowers are so large and so beautiful. In making efforts at cross breeding no doubt the hybridist would be encumbered with a great quantity of seedlings that would show no improvement, but these should be ruthlessly rejected in favor of but one or two that seem verging towards the desired goal. Perhaps also something might be done to make the flowers more enduring, especially when cut. Hybridists must not be frightened from effort because some one will complain that they are only spoiling species. The species, with all their beauties, will remain, but if really beautiful new kinds, having clearer or richer colors and more enduring qualities can be added, so much the better. - A. D. in Gardeners' Chronicle.