154 NATURE TEACHING. 



other, but a hibiscus cannot be crossed with a 

 lime, nor a rose by a croton. 



2. These variations in plants are further 

 made use of when it is desired to produce a 

 plant with some special character, whether it 

 be the shape or colour of the flower, the size 

 of the seed, or some particular feature in the 

 fruit. A large number of seedlings are raised 

 from a plant which possesses the desired char- 

 acter to a certain degree. Those which show 

 this desired character to the greatest degree 

 are allowed to grow and their seed saved. 

 The seedlings from these are again rigidly 

 selected and the process repeated, season after 

 season, until plants are obtained, the seeds of 

 which we can depend on to give a large num- 

 ber of seedlings with the particular character 

 in question. 



3. A desirable kind of plant, whether the 

 desired character be in foliage, flower, seed or 

 fruit, may be perpetuated by propagation by 

 cuttings, budding or grafting. The variations 

 presented by seedlings afford the means of 

 producing new kinds of plants ; propagation 

 by cuttings or grafts enables us to repro- 

 duce these, otherwise variable, plants with 

 the assurance that their characters will be 

 permanently retained. 



