There are many characteristics to be considered when making selections for breeding besides the color and size of the flower. The bulbs of some varieties will stand considerable freezing while other varieties will not. This same characteristic is noticed in the foliage. The severe frost that killed our corn crop on August 30th so impaired Panama, Hiawatha and some others that very few blooms of these varieties opened afterwards. The foliage of some varieties remained green after a temperature of twelve degrees below freezing.
A representative of a Holland bulb growing firm who called on me a few days ago says that Niagara is a very weak grower in Holland and Panama is a very vigorous grower. My experience with these varieties is just the reverse. This seems to show that sometimes the difference in climate may cause certain characters in the plant to act differently—if the Hollander is not mistaken.
A few varieties are sometimes subject to blight and rust. Some are only slightly affected, and many others are entirely blight proof.
There are so many characteristics to be considered by the scientific breeder that it is almost impossible to enumerate them all in this paper.
There is yet a great work to be done in breeding out the undesirable traits and incorporating the improvements which we desire.
Civic Improvement.
MRS. ALBERTSON, PRES. CIVIC IMPROVEMENT LEAGUE, AUSTIN.
This is a subject so broad and so closely connected with "The City Beautiful" one can hardly find a starting point, but we might begin with the one word—civic—which has drawn to itself many minds, much sober thought and from some much hard work.