Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-03-26
Principles of Horticulture.
VII. SEXES.

1S6. The sexes consist of two or more
whorls of transformed leaves, of which the
outer are call StamenS and the inner PiStH-
hlm.
1S7 They are known to be notifications
Of leaves, because they very frequently are
transformed into petals, (which are demonstra.
bly, such, and because they occasionally re-
vert to leaves.
1S8. The stamens bear at their apex an
organ called the aather, which contains q
powder called pollen.
1S9. When the anther is full grown it
opens and emits the pollen, either dispers-
ing it in the air in consequence of the elastic
ity with which it opens; or depositing it
upon the stigmata; or exposing it to the ac-
tion of the wind, or such other disturbing
causes as may liberate 1t from its case.
100. Tho pollen consists Of exceedingly
minute hollow balls, or cases, containing
myriads of moving particles, which are the
fertilzing principle Of the stamens.
19l. The Pistillum has at its base one or
more cavities or cells, in which bodies, call
ed OUuiG are placed and at its apex one or
more secreting surfaces, called StigmGtG.
l92. The ovula are the rudments of seed.
1913. If the fertilzing powder Of the pol
len comes in contact with the stgmata, the
ovula in the cells of the pistillum are vivi.
fed, aud become seed.
194. But il this contact does not take
place, the ovula cannot possibly be viviied,
but shrivel up and perish.
1875. The phenomenon ofvivifcation takes
place in consequence of a portion Of the
particles of the pollen moving into ovula,
where such particles form the commencement
of future plants.
1876. In wild plants, stigmata is usually
acted upon only by the pollen Of the stamens
which belong to it.
1877. In this case, the seed thus vivifed
will, when sown, produce new individuals,
differing very little from that by which they
were themselves produced.
1913. And, therefore, wild plants are for
the most part multiplied from generation to
generation without change.
l99. But it is possible to cause deviations
from this law by artificial means.
200. If the pollen Of one species be plac-
ed upon the stigmata Of another species. the
ovula will be vivi6ed and what is called
hybrid plants will be produced by those owl
la when they should have grown to be seed.
POI. Hybrid plants are different from
both their parents, and are generally inter-
mediate in character between them.
2O2. They have little power of perpetual
ing themselves by seed but they may, If
woody, be perpetuated by cuttings, buds,
scions etc.
203. Therefore, no hybrids but such as
are Of woody perennial character can be
perpotuated.
204. 1t usually happens that the hybrid
has the constitution and general aspect Of the
polliniferous parent; but is influenced in
secondary characters by the peculiarities Of
the female parent.
2O5. This should always be borne in mind
in procuring new hybrid plants.
206 Really hybrid plants must not be
coniounded with such as are spurious, ia
consequence Of their origin being between
two varieties OF the same species. of the same
genus.
2O7. Hybrid plants, although incapable Of
perpetuatiOn by seed, are often more abun-
dant aOwerers than either parent.
2OS. This is, probably, connected with
constitutional debility.