July 18 .] 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
239 
be produced. Future culture will determine whether 
the plants from such a seed shall he puny or luxuriant, 
but that culture for the first season will have little or no 
influence as to the plant possessing double or single 
flowers; these are qualities which would be chiefly 
lodged in the seed while yet remaining in the seed- 
vessel of its nurse-parent. What, then, are some of the 
principles by which we ought to be guided, when our 
object is to obtain and preserve double flowers? 
Making allowance for exceptions, the following may 
be adduced as leading general propositions :— First. To 
obtain double flowers from seed, dependance must not 
be placed upon the influence of a stray stamen that was 
not converted into a petal or flower leaf, but means 
must be taken to make the seeds possessed of a property 
which otherwise they would not possess, by superin¬ 
ducing a highly elaborated, full, plethoric habit, in the 
seeds. This can only be done by stimulating the plant 
with high cultivation at a certain period — after the 
Jiower-buds appear, —and then by removing the greater 
portion of the seeds. If the stimulus is applied at an 
earlier period, the plant will increase greatly in luxuri¬ 
ance ; by giving it thus later, a greater degree of 
strength is conveyed to the flowers ; by thinning these 
flowers, or the seed vessels, as soon as formed, so as to 
have only a very few seeds to ripen, these, in conse¬ 
quence, acquire a full plethoric habit; and we know 
that in the vegetable and animal world alike, this state 
is opposed to productive fruitfulness, while in the deple- 
thoric state it is encouraged. From a full double flower, 
therefore, we expect and obtain no seeds. From such 
plants as balsams, which, though said to be double, yet 
produce seeds, the rendering of them more double must 
be obtained by the high cultivating and seed thinning 
process. In their case, as well as some others, compact¬ 
ness of growth and clearness of colour seem to be gained 
by preserving the seed for several years; the fresher a 
seed, the sooner will it vegetate, and the stronger and 
more luxuriant the plant. In double composite flowers, 
such as the Dahlia, which consist of a number of florets 
upon a common receptacle, though the most of these 
florets may have their parts of fructification changed 
into petals, others may be unchanged, though they 
remain unnoticed until the petals fall off; and from 
these, when seeds are produced, more double flowers may 
be expected than from seeds saved from more single 
varieties, because possessing a greater constitutional 
tendency in that direction. This will more especially 
be the result when, as in the other cases, high cultiva¬ 
tion is resorted to whenever the seed appears. Thus 
something like superfetation is induced in the seed, 
which leads it afterwards, when sown, to develope itself 
more in leaves and petals (which the botanists tell us 
are the same tiling), instead of flowers producing seed; 
and this altogether independent of the culture it receives 
for that season. When any of our friends, therefore, 
look somewhat disconsolate on their beds of stocks 
nearly all single, they may rest next to assured that the 
culture they imparted had little or nothing to do with it. 
The seeds they sowed would have been single in any 
circumstance. The matter is different in the perennial 
plants, such as the daisy and the primrose. Without 
resorting to seeds at all, the plant from being divided, 
having its soil frequently changed and stimulated by 
rich compost, will often gradually change from the 
single into the double flowering condition, upon exactly 
the same principles; luxuriance and fruitfulness being 
ever opposed to each other. Several years ago we car¬ 
ried out these ideas with considerable success, and such 
as they are, now commend them to the notice of our 
friends who have more time at their command. 
Secondly. On much the same principle, care should 
be taken to preserve double flowers, when propagating 
them by cuttings, runners, and divisions of the root,— 
by giving them the same careful cultivation, otherwise 
they are apt to return to the primitive single state. To 
secure this object effectually, two considerations should 
be attended to. If a rich stimulating system of culti¬ 
vation is at the first resorted to, there will be the likeli¬ 
hood of having a luxuriant development of stem and 
leaves, at the expense of depriving the flowers of their 
requisite proportions. In all free-growing luxuriant 
plants, it will be wise policy not to over stimulate the 
plant until the bloom appears; and the increased nourish¬ 
ment judiciously giveu will then enlarge the size of the 
flower, while the rest of the plant would continue to 
maintain a comparative dwarf and stubby character. 
In choosing seed when it is piroduced, let it be selected 
from such plants. Then, again, if the size of the flower 
is to be maintained, and prevented degenerating into its 
primitive condition, rich composts should not only be 
used, but fresh soil, if possible, given to them every year. 
Now is a good time to propagate all these pretty 
desirables, at least all that are of a comparative hardy 
nature. Many of them, when the flower stems are 
decayed, may be divided at the root ; such as the 
Rocket, which with the Wallflower and Sweet William, 
Lychnis, &c., will strike by small cuttings in light soil 
under a hand-light, under the same treatment as is re¬ 
sorted to with Finks. In the case of using hard stems 
of Rockets and Wall-flowers, &c., it is advisable, after 
cutting through with a sharp knife at a joint, to run the 
knife upwards a short distance, through the centre of 
the cutting, and then to make a similar incision at right 
angles with the first, so that the base of the cutting 
shall consist of four equal divisions. This exposes a 
greater portion of the inner bark, and roots in conse¬ 
quence are more quickly and plentifully produced. 
R. Fish. 
HOTHOUSE DEPARTMENT. 
EXOTIC FERNS. 
{Continued from page 212.) 
Propagation by Seed. —We described a successful 
mode of raising the Gymnogramma chrysophylla from 
seed at Kew. There are some other methods that it will 
be well to try should that one fail. Procure a brick or 
a piece of stone partially covered with very short moss, 
sprinkle the fern seed upon it, and cover it with a hand¬ 
glass in a shady part of the stove or orchid house, keep¬ 
ing the surface round the brick or stone very moist. In 
this situation the seeds, if good, will soon come up in 
the shape of a small roundish leaf, from the base of 
which the first frond will make its appearance. At that 
particular juncture raise the young plants with a small 
flattened stick, and transplant them thickly over the 
surface of shallow pots or pans. Cover these incipient 
plants again with a hand-glass, and keep the internal 
air moist. As they advance in growth, tilt the hand¬ 
glass on one side for a few hours every day, gradually 
increasing the height of the opening and the duration 
of the time of keeping it open, till the plants are so far 
advanced as to be fit to transplant singly into small 
pots. The size called “thumbs” will be sufficient for 
these tiny plants in the first instance. Continue to 
repot them till they reach their maximum size. 
This method is, for the most difficult sorts, best for 
free growing kinds. The more simple way is, to brush 
the seeds ot the fronds upon the soil in a pot, place it 
under a hand-glass, and when the seedlings come up 
transplant and repot in the usual way. The late Mr 
Shepherd, of the Liverpool Botanic Garden, raised 
numbers of ferns from fronds, collected abroad and 
brought home in a dry state between sheets of paper. 
The dust that had rubbed off during the transit he col¬ 
lected and scattered upon soil in pots filled to within an j 
inch of the top : no covering was necessary upon the ' 
