HYBRIDISING NEW VARIETIES 41 



There should be a definite aim in view. For instance, 

 take a Japanese variety; the flower of good appear- 

 ance as far as shape is concerned, but poor in colour. 

 The idea would then be to cross it with another form 

 that was proficient in colour, but lacking another point 

 that the first one could claim, and so from that union, if 

 successful, might be produced a form containing the best 

 features of its two parents. Whatever flowers are fer- 

 tilised, either 4he pollen or the seed parent should have 

 what the other lacks ; both combined should have as 

 nearly as possible all the necessary features that consti- 

 tute a model bloom. 



Of course both the parent flowers may be typical forms 

 in their way, possessing all the necessary qualifications : 

 there would be no harm if a cross could be effected in 

 such an instance. What should be avoided is crossing 

 weedy varieties. Without a doubt these latter are the 

 easiest to fertilise, but prize cattle are not bred from 

 weedy parents. 



Where hybridising is to be attempted it will be neces- 

 sary to grow blooms specially for the purpose. To 

 attempt crossing some of the large blooms that have 

 been fed upon stimulating matter would only end in 

 failure, as this treatment tends to increase the size of 

 petal and flower, but at the same time exhausts the fer- 

 tilising organs, and renders them useless for this object. 



The greatest success in crossing is obtained with 

 blooms that have been subjected to a system of starva- 

 tion, and the method of procedure may be as follows. 

 When old plants have been retained from the previous 

 year for the sake of cuttings or growing on again, if 

 possible, cuttings may be taken from these not earlier 

 than end of May or June. Insert three or four around 

 the side of a ^J-inch pot and strike in a cold frame. 

 When well rooted, they may be potted off singly into the 

 same sized pot, using soil of a poor description for the 



