SWEET PEÅS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 146, 19 June 1908, Page 7

SWEET PEÅS.

HOW NOVELTIES ARE ©BTAINEB. To understand the problem ef unfixity j the reader should know something of j how Sweet Pea novelties are •btained. I One method is to transfer, by hand, the , pollen from one variety to the stigma j of another. This is "called crossing the j two varieties. One cross will produce \ one pod of seed, and the resultant plants ! may be alike or they may vary, according, I believe (says a writer in an exchange) to whether the varieties were fixed or unfixed. ' However, the first year's : results of a crass are little, ii any, cri- , terion of the ultimate results, for the ' next year the colour splits up, and ths shape and size of the flowers of the different plants also vary. Five plants from one cross that the writer was growing the second year after the cross produced ; two purple, and one each white, rose, ' and mauve. The mauve was rather small ; and hooded, the white was large and I iwaved, as was also one purple. The "other purple was not waved, but was i fcadly notched at the sides. The rose \ was of fair size with an upright standard. :' These were five seeds taken indiscriminfc'.'ately, from the produce of the first | year's plants. ' When the plants bloom the second year | the grower marks those which are im- .(, prove—ents on existing varieties, and -" grows them on for the third, year. If he - is fortunate they may come true at once, -, or he may keep on selecting for several without being able tor get tho yariety fixed.