ON RAISING CARNATIONS FROM SJiKD. i'29 



eessful in obtaining seed, has but to imitate nature, and by render- 

 ing his double flower as similar as possible to the single one faci- 

 litate her operations. This is done by extracting with a double 

 pointed scissars the supernumerary petals, leaving only the outer 

 guard leaves, taking care, however, not to injure the stamens or 

 Ovarium. This should be done before the anthers burst and shed 

 their pollen, in order that the petals may not prevent its falling 

 on, and being received by the stigmas, which is the usual cause 

 of abortion in the double blossoms of the Carnation ; or the flo- 

 rist, if he pleases, may cut away the stamens, and apply the pollen 

 of some other admired variety to the stigmas of the flower, thus 

 deprived of its male organs, and so fertilize the embryo seed, 

 which is the most advantageous way of proceeding, as the variety 

 among the seedling plants will be more marked and beautiful ; 

 and curious to say, more like the father plant, or that from which 

 the fertilizing pollen was taken, than the mother parent, or that 

 which produced the 6eed. Semi-double flowers are more easily 

 managed this way, and may be made fruitful with the pollen of 

 your ' best double flowers. The production of flowers is often 

 effected through the instrumentality of bees and other insects, 

 when collecting either honey or pollen from the flowers ; in such 

 cases the seed is frequently lost by neglecting to protect the blos- 

 soms from too much wet, and to extract the decaying petals, 

 quickly lose their beauty and brilliant colouring, and being no 

 longer needed, wither and die ; they should then be cut away, lest 

 by retaining moisture, they should communicate disease to the 

 base of the ovarium (where the petals had been attached) which 

 is of a spongy and light structure, and very liable to rot, if not 

 preserved in a dry state. The stems should now be loosed from 

 the stakes to which they were fastened, and the plants given as 

 much air as possible. When the pericarpium has attained to 

 half its size, it will be necessary to remove as much of the calyx 

 or cup that contained the flower as can be done without injuring 

 the seed-pods. The plants will now, need little further care 

 until the maturing of the seed, when they must be carefully look- 

 ed over every day, lest the pods should burst and loose their seed. 

 When ripe, the pods should be carefully gathered and preserved 

 unopened, until the following May, which is the most proper time 

 far sowing, or the seeds extracted maybe preserved in small well 

 corked bottles, which is the mode usually adopted. 

 It has been stated, that layering Carnations prevents their 



