DOUBLE FLOWERS. ()S 



dently of their acknowledged beauty, afford the most 

 important evidence of the true nature of the different 

 parts of the floral system, as you may one day know. 

 To you, as to many others, it may be a subject of 

 wonder how these double flowers are increased, for if 

 the stamens and pistils are converted into petals, it 

 would seem that no means are left for multiplying 

 the race. This would, doubtless, be so, if all the sta- 

 mens and pistils were really thus transformed ; but 

 among many flowers, some are found in which a per- 

 fect stamen or two remain ; and others, in which a 

 perfect pistil or two can be found. If the stigmas 

 of the latter are touched with the pollen of the former, 

 ovules are fertilized, and seeds produced, which will 

 grow into other plants, the flowers of which will be 

 as double as those of their parents. No one knows 

 why double flow^ers should be capable of being thus 

 perpetuated ; it seems as if any tendency which is 

 once given to a plant, may be carried on from genera- 

 tion to generation, by a careful attention to the stop- 

 page of all disposition to depart from the new cha- 

 racter : in the Stock any plant that produces flowers 

 less double than usual, must have a tendency to de- 

 part from the double state, and, therefore, should 

 not be allowed to bear seed, or to influence the seeds 

 borne by other plants, but should be carefully era- 

 dicated as soon as its flowers are sufficiently ex- 

 panded for their true character to be ascertained. 

 By attention to such rules. Turnip-rooted and Long- 

 rooted, White, and Scarlet, and Purple Radishes, 

 and all the different races of Turnips, have been pre- 



