44 The Flower Garden [Chapter 



ling it, if it is desired to keep the varieties separate. 

 Remove all other blooms on the plant, as they fade, 

 allowing only the one selected to ripen. 



Pansy seed should never be saved, as the ripening 

 of it weakens the plant and checks its blooming. 

 Pansies growing in a mixed bed never come true 

 from seed and deteriorate rapidly. Growing Pansy 

 seed is work for the Pansy specialist, but if it must be 

 saved a few plants should be grown in a bed by them- 

 selves and covered with a netting to keep off the bees, 

 which work incessantly over the Pansy bed. Not more 

 than two or three of the finest flowers on a plant should 

 be allowed to seed, all other buds being removed as 

 they form, and the plants kept in a high state of 

 cultivation and supplied with liquid manure at least 

 once a week during the season of seeding. 



Seed may be saved freely from Poppies, as they 

 do not deteriorate appreciably, and the hybridisation 

 constantly going on results in a wonderful variety of 

 form and colouring. The ripening of one or two 

 capsules of seed does not materially affect the period 

 of bloom ; but it is well to mark one blossom on each 

 plant, giving a preference to the terminal blossom 

 on the main stalk, as being usually the finest. Remove 

 all other blossoms as they fade. Perennial Poppies 

 will do better, however, if no seeds are allowed to 

 form. Morning-glories, Cosmos and Verbenas sow 

 themselves better than the gardener can, the 

 plants being much more vigorous than from the hand- 



