RIPENING SEEDS 31 



should be of ordinary greenhouse heat. The bloom 

 heads should be turned over daily for about another week, 

 and then a slight fingering of the carpels, which should 

 show evident distension, will soon result in the easy 

 detachment of the seeds without appreciable pressure. 

 The seed needs only to be scattered over a metal tray, 

 still over the hot-water pipes, for another week, and it 

 should be ripe. 



I have pollinated flowers at the end of December, and 

 the resulting seeds sown on the 5th of the following March 

 have germinated freely. 



The seeds once up, any gardener can do the rest, and 

 the hybridiser has to possess his soul in patience for but 

 a couple of seasons at most, so that the coming new variety 

 may show its true form ; or possibly only for the current 

 year, for sometimes the new variety will show its best on 

 the seedling plant, but the first year's blooming must never 

 be taken as the final verdict, so greatly do certain varieties 

 improve after their first season. 



How the creator of the new variety of Narcissus must 

 envy the raiser of the new variety of Chrysanthemum in 

 this matter of waiting for results. 



CHAPTER III 

 BORDER CHRYSANTHEMUMS 



BY THOMAS STEVENSON 



BORDER Chrysanthemums are a delight to everybody. 

 Their cultivation can be undertaken by any one possessing 

 a garden, for a greenhouse is not essential, though a 



