FLOWER POSSIBILITIES 213 



detect the difference in fragrance in several 

 varieties of the violet, rose, or carnation, for 

 example ; and a still more highly cultivated odor 

 sense enables one to notice differences in the 

 fragrance of apple, peach, or almost any other 

 blossoms from different trees or plants. 



So it is not necessary to confine one's ex- 

 periments to flowers that lack fragrance alto- 

 gether. Interesting results may be obtained by 

 selecting among fragrant flowers those that have 

 the most pleasing perfume, and developing those 

 races that are especially notable for their special 

 fragrance. 



The failure to give attention to the matter of 

 fragrance sometimes leads to the cultivation of 

 a special variety of fragrant blossom that has al- 

 together lost its perfume. An illustration of this 

 came to my attention not long ago when visit- 

 ing the seed farm of the best-known seedsman 

 in America. He called attention to his new 

 varieties of sweet peas with great pride; and 

 when I called his attention to the fact 

 that a number of them were totally lacking 

 in fragrance of any kind, he was not a little 

 surprised. 



He was breeding sweet peas for immense size 

 and brilliant colors and had succeeded, through 

 selection, in producing very striking varieties. 



