2 THE CARNATION MANUAL. 



which he has himself fertiHsed and harvested ; 

 but as many persons may be unable to save their 

 own seed — for securing which, in this climate, 

 " glass " may be considered a necessity — it is a 

 matter of much importance that seed be purchased 

 fj:om a dealer who has a good name to sustain, 

 or from a nurseryman who cultivates only the 

 best varieties. 



There are many classes of Carnations and 

 Picotees, but, as I take for granted that everyone 

 who contemplates the raising of seedlings has 

 given attention to this part of his subject, and has 

 thoroughly made up his mind in which class he 

 will seek for new varieties, I will not mention 

 them in detail. 



If he has not made up his mind, it is most im- 

 portant that he should do so before commencing 

 operations, for success is not likely to follow mere 

 indiscriminate crossing. 



That I may be clearly understood, I will give 

 the method that I should pursue if I desired to 

 raise a new and improved variety of the "scarlet 

 bizarre " class. I should select two of the very best 

 at present in cultivation, say, " Admiral Curzon " 

 (Easom) for a pollen-bearer, and for the seed-parent 

 " Robert Houlgrave " (Barlow), and should put 

 a few flowering plants of each variety in a cool, 

 airy greenhouse, where the plants would have full 

 sunshine. These plants I should not disbud, but 



