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THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



of the stigmas are not fertilized for want of insect 

 agency and the fruit on one side is deformed. If such 

 an apple be cut across it will be found the undeveloped 

 part lies where the pip is shriveled. 



Among the plum growers of the British Isles it is 

 found that the pollen of other kinds is more prepotent; 

 so much so, they have made it a study to have various 

 kinds in bloom at the same time. 



Monocious plants are those which have the genders 

 in different flowers of the same plant, such as melons, 

 cucumbers, marrow, etc. 



Diocious plants are the class that have the genders 

 placed on separate plants, a good example of this we 

 have in the common early-flowering willow on road- 

 sides where the yellow flowers are covered with pollen 

 and the dull gray flowers have nectar to attract bees ; 

 we thus see that bees perpetuate flowers, and flowers 

 continue the existence of bees, both being vitally de- 

 pendent on each other, and both by their agency con- 

 tributing towards the support of mankind. 



Anemophilous plants are a class that bear inconspic- 

 uous flowers, have large quantities of pollen, no nec- 

 tar, and are wholly fertilized by the wind. This 

 includes all kinds of grasses, tomatoes and others. 



I would here remark that in some varieties of straw- 

 berries there is a tendency to a separation of the sexes ; 

 those bearing large flowers are frequently tending to 

 become male, to produce few fruit, and a great manv 

 runners, while the same variety with small flowers, all 

 tending to become female, are abundant bearers and to 

 produce few runners. If we look at a strawberrv we 

 find that it requires from 200 to 300 distinct fertiliza- 

 tions for its perfect production, each berry being com- 

 posed of that number of drupels, i. e., little lobes of fruit, 

 each having a female. 



In one raspberry there are a])out 90 male anthers 

 and 60 to 70 drupels each carrying a female stigma, 

 while on the receptacle will be seen a ring of shining 

 dots of nectar. It thus requires 60 or 70 distinct fer- 

 tilizations to perfect each fruit, otherwise the fruit does 

 not develop, but in some parts remains green and hard. 



Red clover and the bean can only be fertilized by the 

 bumble bee, the nectar in these being situated at the 

 bottom of a long flower tube ; these are the only bees 

 ivvith a proboscis long enough to reach' it. ' It is most 

 interesting to watch the bumble bees when beans are 

 in bloom, how they nip a piece at the base of the 

 bean flower, making an entrance by a short way to 

 the nectar. In Kew Zealand no red clover seed could 

 be grown till after repeated attempts bumble bees were 

 carried over in a dormant condition in a refrigerator 

 and liberated. They are such a success that New Zea- 

 land people are able to do a large export trade in red 

 clover seed. 



In reviewing the foregoing, think for a moment what 

 a work requires to be done by the little bees, and how 

 largely we are indebted to them for the delicious fruit 

 we enjoy. 



Every gardener and every fruit grower should there- 

 fore keep bees with the primary object of insuring 

 cross-fertilization, looking to the honey yield as a sec- 

 ondary consideration, for while the bees gather nectar for 

 themselves they confer a far greater boon on mankind In- 

 giving magnificent crops in return. 



I hope I have been able to direct the readers of the 

 Chronicle to observe some of the smaller items in the 

 animal and vegetable creation. For to attain success 

 we must drink at the well of nature and work in con- 

 junction with those natural laws that govern everv- 

 thing. 



Sweet Pea Novelties 



for Season 1913 



AFTERGLOW. Magnificent violet red- 

 dish manve. 

 ANGLIAN PINK. A beautiftil salmon 



pink. 

 BLL'E BELLE. Handsome purplish 



mauve. 

 CHARLES FOSTER. A delicate blush- 

 pink, flushed v\^ith lavender. 

 CORONATION. A beautiful apricot 



shade, flushed pink, with pink wings. 

 DISTINCTION. Large creamy white 



with pink Picotee edge. 

 ELFRIDA PEARSON. Fine pink, fringed 



with salmon. 

 HELEN GROSVENOR. Rich deep 



orange, splendid. 

 HERCULES. Beautiful soft pink, very 



fine. 

 LOYALTY. Splendid white, flaked 



violet. 

 PRINCESS ^lARY. Peacock blue wings, 



slightly mauve on the standard. 

 RED CHIEF. A very rich reddish 



maroon, beautifully waved, fine form. 

 ^lARGARET MADISON. A magnificent, 



fine, clear, azure blue self. 



Illustrated Descriptive Catalogue Mailed 

 FREE on application. 



BURNETT BROS. 



SEEDSMEN 

 72 Cortlandt Street NEW YORK 



Phone. 2223 Cortlandt 



