THE BORDER CARNATION 17 



would probably get mixed on the brush. After having 

 thus fertihsed the flowers they should be marked, and 

 for this purpose I use red string or tape, which serves 

 as a danger signal to any one who may be gathering 

 flowers, and it is well to acquaint the members of 

 the family with the meaning of such marks. I have 

 had carefully hybridised seed-pods picked off with 

 intentions which, under circumstances, would have 

 been most laudable — that is to say, of concentrating 

 the strength of the plants into the remaining buds. 



Make careful notes of each cross, and watch the 

 flowers which have been hybridised. If, on the 

 following day, they show signs of dropping, the work 

 has not been in vain. If they are still fresh, repeat 

 the process of fertilisation. 



If the flowers have been successfully hybridised it 

 is advisable, when the weather is at all wet, to pull 

 out the withered petals (but be careful to remove 

 these only), and split the sides of the calyx in order 

 to let the sun and air get to the ovary, and thus 

 ensure the better ripening of the seed. Watch for 

 earwigs, which are very partial to the tender young 

 seed-pods, and any device that will prevent them 

 climbing the stems will be useful. When the seed- 

 pod shows signs of splitting and is quite brown, it 

 should be cut off, dried, and the seed carefully stored 

 and labelled. If the necessary time cannot be given 

 to hybridising, or there are no plants to work with, 

 seed saved from the finest varieties, carefully hybri- 

 dised, can be purchased at a reasonable price from 

 specialists who devote glass-houses to this purpose. 



