262 PRACTICAL GARDENING, 



two fruits combined in one ; and this is tlie object of all 

 gardeners who profess to raise new varieties. There are two 

 ways of attempting this ; the one by direct artificial impreg- 

 nation; the other by planting, or bringing plants so close 

 together, that, when in bloom they will impregnate each other. 

 Xatnre vdR do then, what the gardener must do artificially; 

 but by directing the reader how to perform this, we may open 

 a field for his ingenuity to work in, and provide at least a 

 never-failing fund of amusement and gratification from the 

 culture of a few choice plants. 



Directions for Hybridizing. — In artificial crossing, the 

 sorts to be crossed must be in perfection of bloom at the same 

 period. The pistil of the one must be ready to receive the 

 pollen or farina of the other, just as the pollen or farina 

 is ready to perform its work. The pistil and farina are, in 

 most plants, provided in the same flower, the pistil leading to, 

 or forming part of the seed-vessel, and the farina being pro- 

 \dded in the anthers, which, when ripe, burst and show the 

 farina in coloured dust, which, if left to itself will attach itself 

 to its own pistil, and actually grow there ; for each grain of 

 dust that performs its office strikes down a thread so fine as 

 to be imperceptible, even if it could be exposed ; and this 

 thread actually reaches the seed, which thereby receives its 

 vitality. JS'ow the cross impregnation, by artificial means, is, 

 to take away the anthers, which contain the pollen, from the 

 flower to be impreg-nated, to prevent its performing that office 

 itself, and to take from the flower of the sort we wish to cross 

 with, the anthers with the poUen, the instant it bursts, and 

 to apply it to the pistil of the flower we have prepared to 

 receive it. If this be properly done, when both parts are in 

 a proper state, there is no doubt of the result. 



In nature, we find insects of aU kinds are busy in per- 

 forraing this office. Eees may be seen, with the pollen which 

 they have been revelling among hanging to their limbs, and 

 almost covering their bodies, leaving particles of it on every 

 flower they visit. N^Tien plants and trees of one kind only 

 are together, it is only the same variety that is produced 

 generally, because, whether the pollen w^hich is left on the 

 pistil is from its own flower or a neighbouring blossom, the 

 result is the same ; but if two or more kinds are close to each 

 other, it is as likely to be a cross as otherwise ; and this is 

 what we should call a natural cross, because no artificial means 



