98 GAEDENING FOR THE SOUTH. 



those of the rose. But no one has succeeded in crossing 

 the apple with the pear, or the gooseberry with the cur- 

 rant, though in both cases they are species of the same 

 genus. Still less will such totally different plants as 

 oranges and pomegranates intermix. 



Our flower-gardens in modern times have been greatly 

 enriched by cross breeding and hybridizing. Thus have 

 originated a great number of new and beautiful roses, 

 rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias, fuchsias, dahlias, etc., 

 so beautiful in color and perfect in form and habit. There 

 is no doubt of their great utility here. Cross breeding 

 and hybridizing, it is claimed, are processes equally useful 

 in fruit-growing ; but it is certain that very few artificially 

 cross-bred fruits are yet in cultivation, and of true hybrids 

 it is doubtful if there are any which are valuable. It is 

 certain that those most successful in producing improved 

 varieties have not generally resorted to cross breeding. 



True hybrids rarely produce perfect seeds, and those 

 that do, revert to one of the parents after a few genera- 

 tions. From not being subjected to this drain on their 

 vitality, they frequently bloom more freely, and the blos- 

 soms remain longer in perfection than those of plants that 

 seed freely. Seed-bearing is the greatest tax upon the 

 vigor of a plant to which it can be subjected. Hybrid 

 varieties are increased and continued in existence by prop- 

 agating them by division. 



Propagation by Division. — Every other mode of prop- 

 agating plantSj except by seed, whether it be by bulbs, 

 tubers, runners, suckers, parting the roots, layers, cuttings, 

 budding or grafting, is effected by a division of the plant 

 to be increased. 



Bulbs. — Propagation by division, in the case of bulbs or 

 tubers, is analogous to sowing seeds. The new bulbs may 

 be separated when the leaves of the mother-plant decay. 

 The onion, hyacinth, tulip, etc., are generally taken up 



