124 GARDENS OF ENGLAND 



The work of hybridisation is more complicated, 

 as it is necessary to cut away entirely, at the very 

 first moment of expansion, all the stamens of those 

 flowers which it is wished to artificially fertilise. 

 On the second day dust the stigmas with a brush 

 covered with pollen from those kinds chosen for 

 the crossing of them. 



Success in hybridisation depends principally on 

 the care of the operator in only using buds of 

 vigorous growth, well chosen, and fitted to produce 

 types that will be free -flowering and perfect in 

 form and colouring. The flowers usually sink 

 after the third day from opening, and the pods 

 which they produce come to maturity at the 

 bottom of the water. When they are ripe they 

 half open and allow a multitude of seeds about 

 the size of small pearls to drop out. These 

 immediately rise to the surface surrounded by 

 a gelatinous substance. They must then be 

 collected at once -with the aid of a small strainer, 

 as they hardly float a day and then sink straight 

 to the bottom, from which the sticky substance 

 prevents them moving. After their capture they 

 should be kept in water ; they will be safer under 

 these conditions until they begin to grow. 



Those who have no tanks but wish to begin 



