46 Variation of Plants under Cultivation. 



old Tiger Lily, and a form of the Madonna Lily, which has some 

 additional segments in the flower. Then, among the Amaryllis 

 family, we have double flowers in the Snowdrop, the Narcissus, 

 the Leucojum, and hardly any others. The process of producing 

 a double flower from seed can, it is believed, be begun by fertil- 

 ising a bloom which shows one or more additional petals with its 

 own pollen only. From the resulting seeds the chances are that 

 some plants will be produced which have more than the normal 

 number of petals. The repetition of this will gradually increase 

 the doubling until the flowers become unfertile or nearly so. One 

 has only to think of some of our most popular flowers to see how 

 these variations Iiave been turned to account. Thus the Chrysan- 

 themum of to-day, with its great double flowers of the most 

 varied colours, is the descendant of a plant whose small white 

 blooms with yellow discs are about the size of those of our com- 

 mon Daisy. 



The influences of soil in doubling flowers, or in causing them 

 to revert to the original single form, are in dispute, but one cannot 

 but incline to the opinion that soil may cause changes of both 

 characters. 



Li size of flower there is, of course, much variation both in 

 nature and under cultivation. This is fi-equently the result of 

 the soil and other conditions, climatic mainly. It may seem a bold 

 thing to say, but it seems really difficult to place any limit within 

 which size of flower must remain. P'ortunately, considerations of 

 good taste come into play to restrict the production of mammoth 

 blooms. Then all sorts of odd forms in the shape and character of 

 flowers may be produced — given a starting point. Petals may 

 become deeply laciniated or the production of quilled florets may 

 alter the whole character of the flower. If we think of what are 

 known as " florists' flowers," we can form some idea only of the 

 possibilities of variation existing in almost all flowers. Then those 

 who are well acquainted with ferns are amazed at the possibilities 

 of, and the actual results which have come from, variation. 



BUD VARIATION. 



Thus far I have referred mainly to the effects of variation 

 from seeds, even without some of the operations and results of 

 hybridising, which will be referred to briefly later. I desire now 

 to touch upon what is known as bud variation. This is produced 



