RAISING NEW VARIETIES FROM SEED 73 



method by which insects accomplish this is clearly shown 

 in the extract from Professor Hillhouse's Paper at the 

 Viola Conference in 1895 given heretofore (pp. 5 and 6). 



Assuming fertilisation, therefore, is left to chance, it 

 will be seen that the resulting seedlings will naturally 

 be of considerable variety, that is, if the collection of 

 plants embraces a good number of varieties. In this way 

 good new varieties are frequently raised. However, 

 year by year, it becomes increasingly difficult to obtain 

 something quite distinct and striking and also first-class, 

 owing to the large number of really good varieties al- 

 ready in cultivation. 



For this reason, therefore, and in order to be more 

 certain of obtaining new " breaks," resource must be had 

 to artificial fertilisation of the flowers. By this means, 

 it is possible in a small way to control the colour and 

 certain other characteristics in the resulting seedlings. 

 Cross fertilising, therefore, should not be done in a hap- 

 hazard manner, but what the result of the fusion of 

 two dissimilar varieties will probably be should be borne 

 in mind and striven after. 



Then again, as a good habit in these plants should 

 always be steadfastly sought after, the seed-bearing 

 plants should possess a good habit. 



An easy way of cross-fertilising is as follows : The 

 flower from which the pollen is to be obtained having 

 been selected, the lower petal should be removed, care 

 being taken not to scatter the pollen in so doing. A 

 small camel-hair brush should then be taken and passed 

 gently along the hairy channel, which contains the pollen, 

 collecting as much as possible on the point of the brush. 

 This should then be inserted with the greatest care into 

 the hollow stigma of the flower which is to be the seed- 

 bearer, the viscid matter in which will collect the pollen 

 from the brush. The flower should then be marked in 

 a suitable manner to distinguish it from others. 



