112 



THE FLORAL WOULD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



breeding," are often used synonymously, 

 but strictly, a hybrid is a cross between 

 two different species, whose progeny is 

 never fertile of itself, but may be ren- 

 dered so by impregnation with one of 

 the parental species. The offspring of 

 two different varieties is mostly fertile, 

 and is called a cross. If it be desired to 

 raise a hybrid, the species must be 

 nearly allied, or the result will be 

 futile. If a new variety of the same 

 species be required, it will be well to 

 select the female or flower to be im- 

 pregnated, and the male or flower from 

 which the pollen is to be taken, from 

 different plants. The female should 

 be of good habit, or of the growth re- 

 quired for the seedling, as it is found 

 that this qualification, as well as form 

 of flower and shape of petal, are im- 

 parted to the progeny more by the in- 

 fluence of the female than the male ; 

 on the other hand, the colour of the 

 flower is affected more by the male 

 than the female parent. Care should 

 be taken in raising new varieties of 

 flowers, to employ only well formed 

 blooms, and that the colours of the 

 petals of each should have some affinity, 

 for if they are much contrasted, it 

 may be expected that the seedling will 

 be worthless, and of irregular and in- 

 termingled colour. 



The opportunity to be seized, is when 

 the flower to be crossed is fully expan- 

 ded, and its stigma presents a glaucous 

 and viscid appearance. About noon, 

 or earlier, will be found the most 

 suitable time, and the operation should 

 only be carried out (in the open air) 

 on a dry and calm day. The male 

 flower should be slightly in advance of 

 the female, and as soon as the anthers 

 exhibit a dusty and farinaceous aspect, 

 the pollen is ripe, and the flower should 

 be gathered and placed with stem in 

 water, away from the influence of the 

 weather, until the crisis for application 

 to the female arrives ; the pollen may 

 even be removed and wrapped in 

 paper, in which state it will keep for 

 several months if damp be avoided. 

 It is alleged that the offspring 

 generally bears more resemblance to 



the male than the female parent ; and 

 if it 1)0 desired to produce still greater 

 assimilation to the male, this can be 

 effected by removing the anthers of 

 the female, before the pollen becomes 

 mature, for which purpose the Hybri- 

 diser should be provided with a pair 

 of fine-pointed scissors. 



The Pollen may be applied to the 

 stigma of the seed- bearing flower, 

 either by means of a small camel-hair 

 pencil, or by bringing in contact with 

 the stigma the flower containing the 

 pollen; caution must be observed in 

 operating, as an injury to the stigma will 

 be fatal to the success of the operation. 



If the pollen adhere, the general 

 conclusion is that impregnation will 

 take place; if it do not attach itself 

 the seed-producing flower is not suffi- 

 ciently mature, and the experiment 

 must be deferred until the stigma be- 

 comes viscous. It will not, however, 

 be necessary to apply the pollen imme- 

 diately such is the case, for if impreg- 

 nation do not take place, the stigma 

 will remain vigorous for a considerable 

 time. After hybridising, it will be 

 necessary to— protect the blossom from 

 the winoT, which is frequently the 

 means of conveying pollen from one 

 flower 7 to another, and from wet, either 

 of which, on coming in contact 

 with the pollen, would entirely frus- 

 trate the wishes of the experimentalist. 

 The access of insects must also be 

 guarded against, both before and after 

 artificial fertilisation, by encasing the 

 flower lightly in a net or gauze bag. 



Having given my Amateur friends a 

 few general remarks upon what was for- 

 merly considered a " black art," I pro- 

 pose, Mr. Editor, to follow them up in 

 succeeding numbers of the Floral 

 World, with details for carrying out 

 the art in the raising of new varieties 

 of particular Florists' Flowers. My 

 attention is due in the first instance to 

 the neglected Royalty of the Rose, 

 whose claims to precedence, as the 

 Queen of Flowers, and as our national 

 emblem, have not met the response 

 they deserve in the clime of her nativity. 



Stamford, March, 1858. 



