CHAPTER XI 



RAISING NEW VARIETIES FROM SEED AND 

 METHOD OF CROSSING 



THANKS to the facility with which the various 

 types of the Pansy are fertilised by numerous in- 

 sects, the raising of new varieties is rendered compara- 

 tively easy of accomplishment, and aided by various 

 processes of selection many very fine varieties have been 

 introduced. 



Success in raising new and striking flowers is due in 

 a great measure to the fact of having a large and compre- 

 hensive collection of plants from which to select. This 

 is when hybridisation is left to the agency of insects, 

 though of course where artificial hybridisation is resorted 

 to, the collection of flowers need not necessarily be at all 

 great. 



If the centre of a Pansy bloom be carefully inspected 

 and pulled to pieces, it will be seen to consist of a 

 conical-shaped ovary, at the apex of which is produced 

 the pistil which terminates in a round stigma, the under 

 portion, which overhangs the yellow "eye" of the flower, 

 being hollow and secreting a viscid matter. The anthers 

 surround the ovary and pistil, and secrete the pollen 

 grains before they are scattered in the channel formed by 

 the junction of the bottom petal with the spur, and upon 

 the hairs within which the grains are suspended. In 

 this latter position, by means of visiting insects, they will 

 soon either become transferred to the stigma of their 

 own particular flower, or some of the grains will be trans- 

 ferred to the stigma of another flower or flowers. The 

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