The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-12-04

which are enbryos and not mature in
dividuals as is the case with animals.
On the other hand, the large number
of individuals available, and in the
case of annual plants, the frequency of
generations is a decided advantage in
favor of the plant breeder. The meth
DDS of improving plants are:
First. Inducing variation, which is
the basis of selection, and which is
induced by environment, as soil, eli
mate and other conditions and by
crossing, the conveying of the pollen
of one variety to the oVary Of another
species variety. But crossing is
employed to combine two or more de-
SRA BILE qualities as well as induce va
ration as has been pointed out. The
next step after causing riations is
the selection of forms having desirable
characteristics, which the great French
horticulturist, de Vilmorin, has point
ed out as 'the surest and most power
full instrument that man possesses for
the modification of living organisms
The unit of selection is the individ-
ual plant, not the seed of the rice,
nor even the whole head, but the en-
tire plant from the root system on
through to the seed hulls and each de-
tail is taken note of by the successful
breeder.
Lastly it's selection must be tested
to determine their power to reproduce
themselves. 1t is not always true that
a cross will transmit the qualities of
it's parents Or it may do SO in some
of it's progeny and in others fail. And
thus the firm establishment of char
acteristics is paramount. To distin-
guish and eliminate antagonistic char
acteristics requires deep study and
keen Judgment and without these
qualities no permanent improvement
can be gained.
j. In the crossing of varieties of rice, as
with all plants, the breeder has en-
tirely to do with the flower in which
the organs of reproduction are sit
uated.
The rice flower is perfect one in
that the two sexes are represented.
There are six stamens, the male Or
gans, whose antlers, which contain the
pollen, which fertilizers the ovulary,
are baglike and upon maturity burst
open and scatter the pollen grains
upon the branching stigma which is
so constructed as to readily catch the
scattering pollen. Here the pollen
gram ana SeGQS down a
tube to the single bodied ovulary when
pollenation has been effected. It's
work done the stigma withers while
the ovulary rapidly enIarges until the
mature rice seed is complete.
In the case of the rice flower, both
self and cross fertilization or pollen
ization takes place. In any event
when an artificial cross is to be made
the plant breeder must first remove
the pollen bearing antlers, the flower,
to prevent self pollenation. The next
step is to protect the stigma from re-
ceiving from an undesirable variety
and to do this the flower is protected
with a thin finely woven gauze At
the proper time when the stigma and
ovulary become receptive the desired
pollen is introduced artiffcially, either ,
with a fine camePs hair brush or it
may be shaken directly from the ant |
lers. If all goes well perfect pollena- |
ton results and a blending of the two
distinct varieties has been effected.
The results are watched with deepest
interest and when success crowns the
efforts the reward is ample for the
long n3tiaDca eynaDHad