CH. VI.] THE FLOWER. 'ill 



Whether my own opuiion or Mr. Beaton's be 

 correct, it is quite certain that in practice the plants 

 from which double-flowered varieties are sought 

 must be kept in the highest state of developement 

 by supplpng them abundantly with all the as- 

 sistants to ^dgorous growth, and when the seed- 

 vessels are formed these should be reduced in num- 

 ber, in order to make the seed in these remaining 

 as large and perfect as possible. In the course of a 

 few generations seedlings appear having flowers, with 

 an excess of petals and seeds being obtained from 

 these, or from other flow^ers impregnated by their 

 stamens, and the same high cultivation continued, 

 the excess of petals increases, and becomes a perma- 

 nent habit. 



