38 



them in the sowing season the seed turns out to be 

 dehcate, thin, and weak. Cut out the centre weak 

 pips early, which strengthens the other pips, and pro- 

 motes the production of seed. So soon as the petals 

 have faded remove any that may still cling round the 

 seed vessels, for they retain moisture, often injuring 

 them, and checking the ripening of the seed. (Em- 

 merton, 44 ; Hogg, 139.) 



The seed will ripen in July, and the ripeness is 

 known by the pods turning brown, and beginning to 

 open. Look over the plants daily, and gather the 

 pods as they ripen, lest the seed be shaken out by 

 the wind or other accident. The whole truss will 

 not ripen together, therefore cut off each pod as it 

 grows ripe, put it in a thin white paper bag, and 

 place it in a window in the sun for two or three days 

 to harden, and prevent its growing mouldy. The 

 seed s"hould be kept in the pods as much as possible 

 till the time of sowing. {Emmerton, 46.) 



Best Varieties to Breed from. — There are no class 

 of seedling florist's flowers that sport so much as 

 Auriculas, and to ascertain the cause of this has often 

 puzzled the most experienced growers. Lee's Col. 

 Taylor almost invariably " brings," or produces, Selfs, 

 and others a considerable portion of them Alpines. 

 Few growers have ever been able to raise more than 

 three or four varieties in their lifetime ; and Emmer- 

 ton, Maddock, &c., never raised one that was able to 



