330 Ever-sporting Varieties 



ing variety, it may be as well to give a short 

 description of the plants with double flowers. 

 From a broad point of view two principal 

 types become double. One is by the conver- 

 sion of stamens into petals, and the other is an 

 anomaly, known under the name of petalomany. 



The change of stamens into petals is a grad- 

 ual modification. All intermediate steps are 

 easily to be found. In some flowers all sta- 

 mens may be enlarged, in others only part of 

 them. Often the broadened filaments bear one 

 or two fertile anthers. The fertility is no doubt 

 diminished, but not wholly destroyed. Individ- 

 ual specimens may occur, which cannot produce 

 any seed, but then others of the same lot may 

 be as fertile as can be desired. As a whole, 

 such double varieties are regularly propagated 

 by seed. 



Petalomany is the tendency of the axis of 

 some flowers never to make any stamens or pis- 

 tils, not even in altered or rudimentary form. 

 Instead of these, they simply continue produc- 

 ing petals, going on with this production with- 

 out any other limit than the supply of available 

 food. Numerous petals fill the entire space 

 within the outer rays, and in the heart of the 

 flower innumerable young ones are developed 

 half-way, not obtaining food enough to attain 



