CHAPTER VI. 



FLORAL DIPLOMACY {continued). 



Let us commence with a device common both to 

 wind-fertilised and insect-fertiHsed plants, so well 

 marked that Linnaeus founded a class upon it, and 

 thus grouped together the most widely separated 

 species of plants, which had nothing in common 

 except that their ancestors had hit upon the same 

 simple method to prevent self- fertilisation. The 

 contrivance is based upon the principle that " pre- 

 vention is better than cure!" If the flowers of a 

 plant bear stamens only, and others pistils only, it is 

 evident there can be no danger from self-fertilisation, 

 and the chances of crossing are then rendered almost 

 certain. If this principle is carried to the furthest 

 point, and an arrangement is made that the female 

 (or pistillate) flowers shall be borne on one plant, 

 and the male (or staminate) flowers upon another, 

 crossing is absolutely insured. Should such flowers 

 fail to be crossed, no fruit is borne, and the flowers 

 are then what gardeners call " blind," as in the case 



