36 THE FERTILISATION OF FLOWERS, [CHAP. 
pollen in such a way that it cannot possibly fall on 
the stigma. In the Fuchsia flower of fig. 37, nothing 
seems easier, from the inverted position of the flower, 
than that the pollen should fall on the stigma; but in 
reality the position of this renders such a result more 
difficult, for the sticky surface can only be reached 
from below. In the Crocus the anthers open along 
their backs so as to discharge their pollen away from 
the stigma. There are many other remarkable con- 
trivances in various plants actually to prevent the 
pollen being shed on the stigma. 
The.lesson of this is: it is not to the plant’s benefit, 
but otherwise, that its own pollen should fertilise its 
seeds; and on experimenting with various plants, to 
ascertain the truth of this, it is found that all plants” 
fertilised with pollen from another individual produce 
far more robust offspring than the plant which is 
fertilised by its own pollen. Indeed, in some plants 
the application of its own pollen to its stigma has 
had the effect of causing the pistil to shrivel up, and 
the flower to die. Why this zs so we cannot tell; 
but it is beyond doubt a fact, applicable to the 
animal as well as the vegetable kingdom, that the 
offspring of individuals closely related are more or 
less sickly and weak. Seeing that Nature objects, 
as a rule, to se/f-fertilisation, we should naturally 
expect to find that she has taken means to ensure 
their cvoss-fertilisation. 
The untiring observations of Darwin, Lubbock, and 
Miiller have clearly shown that such contrivances are 
as plentiful as they are remarkable—in fact, some 
of them are absolutely startling in the delicacy and - 
