Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-02-05
Near Varieties OF Fruits, ETC.

There may be those present who would
like to know just how this operation of
hybridlzing is performed. A little knowl-
edge of the structure of the flower is
necessary. The stigma or pistil is the
central point of the flower which sur
mounts the germ Of the future fruit or
seed vessel, and Is the portion which is
to receive the fertilizing pollen from
whatever variety it is to be crossed
with. Surrounding this stigma are the
stamens or slender filamentS crowned
with anthers, which contain the fertil-
izing dust or pollen, which burst at ma
turity and shed their formulating con-
tents npon the stigma. When cross is
desired, the stamens must be removed
before the pollen is matured and the
stigma artifclally supplied with pollen
from whatever other variety the cross is
made. Seeds from the fruits so operated
upon may be expected to partake of the
character of both After the operation
Of artificial fertilizing is performed, the
flower must be inciosed within an oiled
silk or other impervious bag, the prevent
the interference of bees or Other insects.
With vegetables, especially with corn,
tassel corresponds to the stamens, while
the 'ssilk" from the end Of the embryo
ear IS the pistillate portion. Each fila
ment of the silk is connected
with a grain of corn, and the pollen
dust from the tassel falling upon the
silk fertilizes or impregnates the cores
ponding grains and brings them to per-
lection. Now, if you plant row of corn,
and as the tassels appear at the tops OF
the stalks, pull them out or cut them of
| before the pollen has matured, you will
have the silk and the cobs, but not a
grain of corn in the whole lot. But il
you wish to produce cross or new va.
riety, and you supply the silk of this
barren row with the pollen from the
tassels of another variety, you can pro-
duce almost any cross or variation you
choose. have produced as many
as six varieties of corn upon single cob
Late corn may be made early by crossing
the pollen of the late variety upon the
stalks of an early kind, and SO it may BIZ
reversed.
t Double Towering plants often produce
stamens and pollen, but rarely form any
seeds. The double petunia, / think
never does. But 1t does supply pollen
and if the single flowers are deprived o.
their stamens, and then fortified from
double ones, the seeds will, many of them
produce double flowers
DR.. Jared P. Kirkland planted an old
yellow Spanish or Bigarreau cherry tree
and at the same time in circle around i
several other of the best known varieties
so near that when they grew to bearing
size their branches would be interwove1
around and among those of the centra
tree. He expected that by the agency y
the wind and that of bees and other in
|sects flying from flower to flower ant
from tree to tree the pollen would be car
Tried from ono to Tho other, and cross-fer
tt ,2.1nr as performed by these natura
agents IN 8 most perfect manner. He savet
land planted the seeds from the fruit o
the central tree and the result yerifet
his expectations, by producing grea
variety of seeding cherries of distinct an,
diversified character, many of then
of great value. having world wild
reputation, and permanent place in al