SEED-GROWING. 



289 



of one variety, and grown in a perfectly isolated position. The 

 variation was most extraordinary. 



The single dahlia may be cited as an example of a flower 

 that can hardly avoid being self-fertilised ; but what remarkable 

 variation in colour is to be found in plants produced from the most 

 carefully saved seed of one variety ! True it is that colour is the 

 most variable feature, but still the form of the flower, the habit of 

 the plant, and the shape of the leaves are also often very diverse. 



I have dwelt longer on this part of my subject than I should 

 perhaps have done, my desire being to point out some of the 

 difficulties which beset the path v of the seed-grower in his 

 endeavour to produce a stock that will come true to character. 

 Some buyers naturally expect that, as like produces like as a 

 general rule, so all their seeds should come perfectly true — that 

 is, exactly like the parent plants. That golden age may be on its 

 way, but it has not yet arrived, and until the day dawns they must 

 grin at and bear a little variation. 



Isolation is a word that should^be printed in large type in 

 the vocabulary of every seed-grower. Many subjects come true, 

 although the various colours may be grown alongside of each 

 other. Quilled asters and sweet peas may be taken as examples. 

 Among the former I have never yet had a cross or a sport. On 

 the other hand, African and French marigolds readily cross 

 and produce genuine half-breeds. 



It is a doubtful question how far the various types of 

 brassicas will cross with each other. Ordinary garden turnips 

 have not, so far as I am aware, shown any tendency to cross with 

 cabbages, sprouts, or kales. I have been conducting some in- 

 teresting experiments with garden turnips, to ascertain how far 

 they may be inclined to cross with "one another. I planted side 

 by side two roots of " Golden Ball "^and two of " Model White," 

 two of "Golden Ball" and two of " Red j Globe," and so on 

 through all the combinations I could form with eight varieties. 

 The seeds were carefully saved and sown, but this present 

 autumn has been against their coming quickly to maturity. I 

 find, however, that where " Golden Ball " and " Red Globe " have 

 been grown together the red variety has given to the yellow a 

 distinct purple top, and the white-fleshed " Red Globe " has 

 become quite yellow in its colour. The " Red Globe," again, 

 seems to have given quite a purple top to " Model White ; " but, 



