Some are annuals, including the ten-week and pyramidal forms;
others are intermediates and are suitable for pot-culture; and the
biennial sorts include the well-known "Brompton" and "Queen" varieties.
Some are large and others are small or dwarf. For their brightness,
durability and fragrance, they are deservedly popular. There are even
some striped varieties. Horticulturists and amateurs generally know that
seed can be obtained from single stocks only, and that the double
flowers never produce any. It is not difficult to choose single plants
that will produce a large percentage of double blossoms in the following
generation. But only a percentage, for the experiments of the most
skilled growers have never enabled them to save seed, which would result
entirely in double flowering plants. Each generation in its turn is a
motley assembly of singles and doubles.
Before looking closer into the hereditary peculiarities of this old and
interesting ever-sporting [330] variety, it may be as well to give a
short description of the plants with double flowers. Generally speaking
there are two principal types of doubles. One is by the conversion of
stamens into petals, and the other is an anomaly, known under the name
of _petalomany_.
The change of stamens into petals is a gradual modification.
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