PRINCIPLES OF CROSSING 27 



the intensification, or moderation, of the colour of an 

 already excellent variety ; greater size (if so desirable) 

 without altering the essential character ; dwarfer habit : 

 and, if haply may be, a new colour ; although the " blue 

 Chrysanthemum" at present appears below the horizon of 

 possibility. And moreover if we got it, should we like it ? 



And in this system of definite crossing there is still 

 room for the totally unexpected, for there is existent as one 

 of Nature's Laws, one of its most obscure " first causes," 

 that "prompting to vary," inherent in all matter, and 

 existent throughout all ages ; " variation " " continuous," 

 or " discontinuous," usually called " mutation " we know 

 not what's its fundamental origin, but we know its facts, 

 and that from the same cross of a Narcissus came the fine 

 varieties " Mrs. Robert Sydenham/' " Francesca," and 

 "Mrs. George Barr," and from the same apple such 

 dissimilar varieties as ft Cox's Orange Pippin " and tl Cox's 

 Pomona." The possibilities of variation even in definite 

 crosses seems inexhaustible, but the products will, as a 

 rule, be found to vary round the central point, or type, 

 created by the intended cross. 



So much for the leading principle ; next the modus 

 operandi. 



To start with a clear understanding of the essential 

 organs of the bloom is desirable. The Chrysanthemum is 

 of the Order of " Compositae." The flower has its calyx 

 and the constituent sepals : the corolla, with its constituent 

 leaves called petals. Next, the androecium, the male produc- 

 tive organs of the flower, the individual threads being 

 called the stamens. Each stamen has its narrow filament 

 bearing at its apex the anther, with its two lobes, within 

 which, when it attains maturity, is to be found the yellow 



