32 PICTORIAL PRACTICAL CARNATION GROWING. 
Ideals are admirable things, but they have a way of creating narrow- 
ness in some minds. It is certain that if there had been no standard 
of excellence established to work to our Carnations and Picotees 
would not be what they now are. Herein we owe a deep debt of 
gratitude to the oldtime florists. Possibly some of their followers 
have worked within lines that are a little too rigid ; they have 
interpreted the laws almost too strictly. But atleast they have kept 
the flag flying. Other influences have operated to prevent the 
mischief that sometimes accrues from arbitrary interpretation. They 
have shown us that there is a world of beauty in Selfs as well as in 
Flakes and Bizarres, that habit of plant and freedom of blooming 
are equally as important as contour of flowers, and that the garden 
has its claims not less than the exhibition. 
It is to be feared that both sides have been a little lax in one 
respect—the maintenance of perfume. To the broad-minded flower 
lover a Carnation without sweetness is like a lark without song. 
CROSS FERTILISATION. FIG. 13 (NEXT PAGE),—PROCESS 
OF POLLINATION. 
X, flower showing the stamens or male organs boldly, which usually furnish 
pollen abundantly to fertilise the seed bearing flower: j, stem; 4, 
bracts; 7, calyx; m, petals; », anthers of the stamens that produce the | 
pollen, magnified, on the right hand side. 
Y, bloom having the pistillate or female organs prominent, and generally 
most desirable for the seed parent: 0, stigmas to which pollen is to be 
applied, called open flower cross pollination, protecting from self fer- 
tilisation by enclosing in paper or gauze bag when the petals unfold, 
and continuing till the stigmas fade after pollination. 
Z, flower denuded in bud state or without removing the calyx or pod (though 
here shown with one side removed for clearness), stamens in calyx 
tube being cut off with fine pointed, long bladed, or Grape thinning 
scissors, and removed from the calyx tube: », support of ovary from 
which the petals have been drawn and the stamens cut off and removed ; 
g, Ovary or capsule; 7, styles; s, stigmas to which pollen is to be 
applied. The calyx in this case remains to protect the ovary and 
styles, but pollination by bees or other natural agents must be prevented. 
Pollination. 1, a flower emasculated by drawing out all the petals and 
removing all the stamens when expanding: ¢, stigmas downy or 
feathered ; w, camel hair brush laden with the fertilising pollen; com- 
mence to use low down on the feathered part of the stigma, drawing the 
brush gently upwards to the tip; v, stigma after pollination. 2, after 
pollination and fertilisation are effected and the stigmas are drying 
up. 38, an emasculated, pollinated, and effectively fertilised flower: 
w, point where the bracts and calyx tube have been cut in close emascu- 
lation, and petals and stamens removed, the flower being afterwards pro- 
tected and pollinated; x, capsule swelling, opening when seed is mature 
by teeth at the apex. 4, ovules from the capsule at the stage shown in 
3: y, fertilised and developing into seeds ; z, not fertilised, both occurring 
in the same capsule. 
