194 HYBRIDIZING AND CROSSBREEDING 



the color of the first named holds exactly until the bloom 

 goes to sleep, not even bleaching in the strong sun, while 

 the other bleaches badly. Out of the same red X red 

 pod, came also a pure white variety. 



The same may be said of the habit of growth, although 

 not so much attention has been paid to this feature. One 

 extensive breeder has produced a strain with an open, 

 upright growth, producing very few shoots along the flower 

 stems. In some of the varieties this characteristic is so 

 pronounced as to be a detriment, as no young shoots 

 appear until the flower is cut, causing a much longer period 

 between crops. Such plants do not make good stock 

 readilj' in the fie'd, and do not meet with favor in the 

 eyes of the commercial growers. A free branching habit 

 should be the aim. A plant that starts young shoots from 

 the lower portion of the flower stems about the time the 

 bud is half grown, will give the most continuous crop of 

 blooms. Those that are \\'hat is known as grassy will 

 bloom scantily until toward Spring, throwing a heavy crop 

 of blooms at that time. This is a partial re\ersion to the 

 original type and such varieties should be avoided when 

 crossing. 



The act of pollinating, or transferring the pollen from 

 the anthers of one flower to the stigma or stigmas of another, 

 is quite simple, a little experience in the work being suffi- 

 cient to guide the operator. Of far greater importance is 

 the selection of the parents, as intimated above, even after 

 the pedigree has been established. 



It must be kept in mind that the perfect Carnation 

 is made up of numerous parts, any of which may be perfect 

 or imperfect, without in the slightest degree affecting the 

 others. It is well known that a weakness in a parent is 

 apt to be aggravated in the offspring, unless counteracted 



