CHAPTER V 
CROSS-FERTILISATION 
FOR very many years I have given much attention to the 
raising of seedling Carnations by cross-fertilisation. This 
is one of the most interesting operations in the culture of 
Carnations, or indeed any garden plants. Cross-fertilisa- 
tion may be practised in the case of any type or strain ; 
for example, I should like to see some improvements made 
in the delightful class of Bizarres and Flakes. The old 
variety known as Admiral Curzon has remained the best of 
the former class for about sixty-five years, It may still be 
possible to raise one with equally good qualities by cross- 
ing Admiral Curzon with pollen from the variety Robert 
Houlgrave. It is always advisable to make this, or any 
other cross both ways; by this I mean that in one case 
the variety Admiral Curzon may be the seed-bearer, and 
in the other case the same variety should be used as 
the pollen-parent. Cross-fertilising should be carried out 
in fine weather, when the pollen is in a powdered, not a 
granular condition. There are always two horn-like pro- 
cesses in the centre of the flowers; these are furnished 
with short, very delicate hairs, and are the stigmatic or 
female parts of the flower, to which the pollen or male 
fertilising agent must be conveyed with a fine brush. The 
pollen will be found amongst the petals of the flowers in 
the form of small, yellow globules. If these are touched 
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