338 Sexuality of Plants — Fecundation, Ilyhridization. [August, 



appear, they come not as absolutely new organs, but after the old 

 type, modified to serve the present purpose. The general plan of 

 the Great Architect is kept up, and yet every several member fulfills 

 a purpose. That the species may live on in a new individual, we 

 have the calyx, the corrolla, stamens and the pistil, all subserving 

 important ends whose design can not be mistaken. It is to the 

 stamen and pistil, the two most important organs of the flower, we 

 would at present direct %tention. These organs constitute what is 

 called the sexual character of plants. The stamen is called the male, 

 and the pistil the female organ. This doctrine constituting the 

 foundation of the Linean system, though but recently established 

 upon the basis of logical induction is by no means novel. It was 

 entertained among the Greeks, Aristotle and Theophrastus 

 maintained it, and Pliny, Dioscorides and GtALEN adopted the 

 division by which plants were then distributed into male and 

 female. This, however, was upon the erroneous principle of habit 

 or aspect, and without any reference to any absolutely sexual dis- 

 tinction. 



Linnaeus, after devoting great labor and research to this subject, 

 came at length to the conclusion that no seed is perfected without 

 the previous agency of pollen, and that the doctrine of the sexuality 

 of plants is consequently founded in fact. This doctrine of the 

 male and female organs in plants, opened a new field of observation, 

 by directing attention to the mode of action which they exercise 

 upon each other. 



Until lately, and even now, among the most of our agriculturists, 

 this principle is but little understood. We are fully persuaded that 

 it is in the proper attention to the application of this principle that 

 we are to look for the permanent improvement of our seeds, plants 

 and fruit. By engrafting and budding, and the various modes of 

 propagating, the better kinds of individuals, may be indefi- 

 nitely extended without material change throught the cycle of 

 their existence ; but it must be through skilfull'-^ hybridization, 

 or more properly, crossing, that new and superior kinds must 

 be obtained unless, as hitherto, this may occur by chance or mere 

 accident; as now all admit, that if we are to improve upon our 

 present fruits, it must be from the seed. Yet who does not see that 



♦Cross breedina:, or as it is cnlled, hybridization, is the removius from the blossom the 

 stnmeus, or male parents, and hrincring those of another and different varietv of fnait, 

 and diuting the pistil or female parent with them. 



