PROPAGATION BY SEED 69 
hotbed, composed of oak leaves and long stable manure, 
upon which a depth of 4 inches of fine peat, or cocoa- 
nut fibre, is placed; in this material the pots containing 
the cuttings are plunged. This system we practise with 
success in the summer and autumn months in a frame 
having a northern aspect. This method is not recom- 
mended for winter, as it is impossible to give proper 
attention to the cuttings without admitting cold air to 
the frame. 
Propagation by Seed.—This system of propagation is the 
most interesting, and at the same time the most uncertain 
in its results. There is a great fascination in awaiting the 
first opening flowers of cherished seedlings, and, although 
most of them may prove to be worthless, the joy of having 
secured one gem will compensate for the many disappoint- 
ments. To any one interested in the cross-fertilisation of 
the Carnation, the process is a simple one, but a little ex- 
perience is necessary to determine the proper time at which 
the pollen is in a correct state for its transference to the 
stigma of the flower to be operated upon. Mr. Douglas 
has described the process of cross-breeding on another 
page, and I shall merely make a few remarks in passing. 
The pollen should be removed from the anthers when it is 
in a dry, powdery condition, by means of a small brush, 
and applied to the stigma. The stigma is at a proper stage 
for the reception of the pollen when, upon examination, a 
clear watery substance is seen to exude from its hair-like 
filaments. The seed-bearing parent should have its anthers 
removed from the flowers before the pollen becomes ripe, 
otherwise the flower may be fertilised with its own pollen, 
and, unless the plant is isolated, it may be necessary to cover 
the stigma to prevent any but the desired pollen reaching it, 
