44 Vaeiatiox of Plants under Cultivation. 



eminent raiser produced one with true magenta coloured petals. 

 One could go on with such illustrations of what is, perhaps, the 

 aspect of my subject which will appeal to more than any other. 

 Not less worthy cf notice, however, is that connected with the 



DOUBLING OF FLOAVERS. 



I suppose that, according to strict rule, a double flower ought 

 to be looked upon as a monstrosity, just as one might be expected 

 to look upon some of the prodigies in Barnum and Bailey's show. 

 If we assume the sole object of the flower's creation is to ensure 

 the continuation of the species, we must adopt this view, but if 

 we apply the same doctrine to other animated things than to those 

 belonging to the vegetable world then we find ourselves on a 

 precarious footing- indeed. In nature there are many checks to 

 over-production of life, and if these take a form which is of a 

 pleasing kind, why set it down as a monstrosity ? It is singular, 

 however, that we have a much greater proportion of double 

 flowers and those which depart from the normal form among the 

 seedlings which are slow of germinating and are weakly at birth. 

 If, for instance, any one will sow seeds of double Carnations, it 

 will be found that the plants which are the first to appear, and 

 which grow most vigorously, are largely composed of single or 

 inferior flowers. By the way, some plants which give double 

 flowers' have a curious way of securing that they should not 

 become extinct. The double form of the common Lady's Smock 

 produces little plantlets on some of its leaves, while the single 

 one does not. 



Of course we are largely at sea as to the causes which bring 

 about the production of double flowers on plants. One would 

 naturally think that the more vig'orous the plant the more likely 

 it would be to give double blooms ; while the contrary is usually 

 the case. It has been observed, however, that anything which 

 tends to create a disturbing element in the natural course of the 

 life of a plant is a powerful factor in making a change in its 

 character or, more particularly, in its progeny. Various plans 

 are adopted to secure such changes as we speak of. A very 

 experienced gardener, who has been very successful in raising 

 new plants, told me that when he was saving seeds of Stocks he 

 always saved them from the side spikes, the central one being 

 pinched out early. He said that the seeds saved from the central 



