POLLEN. 



838 



POLLEN. 



ization brought about by the agency of the 

 wind is insigniflcent as compared with that 

 accomplished by insects, and that, of couise, 

 means the bees, for almost no other insects 

 are Hying in the early spring when fruit 

 trees come into bloom. 



In Fig. 9 we have a remarkable example 

 of the Hower of the salvias, among which we 



Firi. 8.— Apple (Pyrus Malus, Order Rosacete) Blossom, and 

 Section of Fruit. 



A, Blossom (Natural Size)— 8, Stigmas: a. Anthers; p, Petal; ca. 

 Calyx: s", Sepal; d. Dissepiment. B, Section through partly 

 developed Fruit— f, /, Fertilized Carpels; u. Unfertilized 

 ditto. -From Cheshire. 



may mention the celebrated white mountain 

 sage of California Notice how Nature has 

 made a convenient doorstep on which the 

 bee may alight. But the more remarkable 

 part of it all is, how tlie filament for the 

 anthers is jointed. Turn to C, and it will 

 be observed there is a spur or projection; 

 namely, ac. The bee steps on the doorstep 

 at I. Its head bunts against 

 the projection, m-^ causing the 

 hinge-like movement to bend 

 the anther, a, down upon its 

 back, dusting it all over with 

 pollen. The act can be seen a 

 little more perfectly at D. 

 Notice how the jointed anther 

 is painting the back of the bee 

 all over with pollen dust. In 

 this particular tlower, as at 

 D,the stigma, for the time be- 

 ing, is sterile to the pollen of 

 that rtower, but the bee goes 

 over to another specimen of 

 the same species, as at B. It 

 alights upon the doorstep, and, 

 with its back all covered with 

 dust, the stigma projecting 

 oiit from its little canopy 

 above brushes over the back 

 of the bee, picking up the pol- 

 len, thus securing the fertiliz- 

 ing element from some other 

 tlower of the same species. 

 When we remember that large 

 quantities of beautiful honey 

 are secured from vhat is 

 known as the white mountain 



sage, of California, we can realize the im- 

 portance of this particular plant to the bee- 

 keeper. Without this cross-fei tilization the 

 plant would undoubtedly " run out "as we 

 say. 



In Fig. 10 we have a still more remarkable 

 case, as shown in the orchid. This tlower 

 is a little different in that the anther-sac has 

 a sticky substance on the end, as 

 shown at r in A. This pod ad- 

 heres to the bee's forehead as 

 shown at E and G. With this 

 queer appendage containing its 

 sac of pollen, the bee visits other 

 blossoms, and, as seen at B, butts 

 its head against the stigma and 

 dusts it over wath pollen. Chas. 

 Darwin points out that this 

 beautiful experiment can be ac- 

 complished with the point of a 

 lead-penc 1, but as it is not pre- 

 sumed that any foreign object 

 should come in contact with the blossom 

 except the insects, we can see how insect 

 cross- fertilization is accomplished in this 

 most remarkable manner. 



Throughout the animal and vegetable 

 kingdoms there seems to be a constant strug- 

 gle for the perpetuation of their species, 

 which is secured only by ripening perfect 



Fig. 9.— Blossom of Salvia officinalis, Order Lahiatm. 

 (Natural Size). 

 A, Young Flower, showing aborted Anther Cell. B, Older Flower, 

 showing Stigma. C, Section of Young Flower; a. Anther Cell; 

 ac, Aborted Cell; c. Connective; /, Filament; hi, hinge of Fila- 

 ment; en, Corolla; ca, Caly.\; ,-f. Style; .s. Stiff Attachment of 

 Filament: /, Labium; h. Interior Hairs; ng. Nectar Glnnd D, 

 Section of Young Flower with Bee entering; Lettering as be- 

 fore. E, Section of Base of Flower flattened out, Lower Part 

 shown— .st, style; .s and f. Stiff Attachment of Filament of Pollen- 

 bearing Anther; rta. Aborted Anther: h. Interior Hairs; ca, 

 calyx; ng, Nector Gland.— F/ow Cheshire. 



