GETTING THE UTMOST VARIATION 

 OUT OF A FLOWER 



How THE CHINESE BALLOON-FLOWER 

 WAS TREBLED 



IN illustrating the possibilities of flower devel- 

 opment, the case of the Chinese balloon-flower 

 (Platijcodon) will answer as well as another. 



I had been for some time working with a bed 

 of these flowers, with an eye to the increase of 

 their beauty of form, their size, clearness and 

 intensity of color, and the closer and more grace- 

 ful placing of blossoms on the stalk. As to all of 

 these matters, the existing balloon-flowers left a 

 good deal to be desired. 



My method of work was that which I have 

 already outlined so fully in connection with other 

 flowers. The essentials of it, as the reader is 

 aware, are first the careful scrutiny of the entire 

 colony to discover the individual that is the very 

 best of all as to the particular character in ques- 

 tion. This individual is selected and its seed 

 carefully preserved. 



[VOLUME X- CHAPTER I] 



