VEGETABLE PHYSIOLOGY. 53 



anthers are the male organs of generation, and their dust the 

 genuine male sperm. Since in every flower the anthers and 

 stigmas are the genital organs serving for fecundation, and the 

 anthers the male organs, it is obvious to every one, that the 

 stigmas, the other essential part of the flower, is the female organ 

 of generation, which we shall more fully prove by the following 

 arguments. 



1. Situation. For we are to consider that the stigma is 

 always so situated, that the anthers, or their impregnating dust, 

 can reach it, as we have shown above. Besides, it is remarkable, 

 that in most plants, the number of the stigmas exactly corresponds 

 with the cells of the pericarp. 



2. Time. The stigmas are always in full vigor at the same 

 time with the anthers. 



3. Falling off. The stigmas, in most plants, when they 

 have discharged their office, drop off in the same manner as the 

 anthers do ; which is a most evident sign that the stigmas 

 contribute nothing to the ripening of the fruit, but serves only for 

 the purpose of generation. 



4. Being cut off. If the stigmas be cut off before they have 

 received the impregnating dust of the anthers, the plant is castrated 

 as to the female organs, and the fruit perishes ; a sufficient 

 demonstration that the stigma is that part of the female organ of 

 generation destined for conception. The stigma of a flower, 

 has, besides, two other singular properties ; namely, that it is 

 always divested of the cuticle or film, nor has it any bark as the 

 other parts, and then it is always bedewed with moisture. 



The generation of plants, then, is brought about by the anthers 

 shedding their dust on the stigmas. It is not sufficiently clear in 

 what way the generation of animals is accomplished ; but thus 

 far we are certain, that the male sperm must come in contact 

 with the female organ, if there be any impregnation. In the 

 vegetable kingdom the fertilizing dust is carried by the air to the 

 moist stigmas, where the particles burst and discharge their 

 exceedingly fine or subtle contents, which impregnate the ovary. 

 That this is the case, will be shown by the following arguments. 



1. Sight. When a plant is in flower, and the dust of the 



