VI. 
NATURAL CROSS-FERTILISATION IN INDIA. 
In general, the flowers of all the species and varieties of wheat 
are self-fertilised, pollination taking place before the extrusion of 
the stamens. The details of the wheat flower are well illustrated 
by Hays,’ while there are good detailed accounts of the opening of 
the glumes and of the extension of the anthers both by Fruwirth’ 
and by Hays. Koernicke*® observes that the stigmas themselves 
sometimes protrude their fine points, when the glumes open at the 
top for the liberation of the stamens, and remain in the open even 
after the closing of the glumes. 
Instances of natural cross-fertilisation in the field are not 
common. Some observers even go to the length of stating that 
natural crossing does not take place. Thus De Vries' states “wheat, 
barley and oats are self-fertile and do not mix in the field through 
cross-pollination.’’ Garton’ from his experiments in England 
comes to a similar conclusion. He states :— 
‘* The first step was to ascertain whether natural cross-fertilis- 
ation actually existed in the cereals. At the time it was an accepted 
doctrine that all agricultural plants were open to artificial cross- 
fertilisation, but there were no definite or reliable records to prove 
that such was the case. On the settling of this question depended 
the possibility of the work attempted. The method adopted was 
as follows :— 
i Hays, Bull, 29, U. 8. Dept. of Agriculture, Div. of Veg. Phy. & Path., 1901. 
2 Fruwirth, l.c., Bd. 4, 1907. 
8 Koernicke, 1. c. 
‘ De Vries, Species and Varieties, their Origin by Mutation. 2nd Ed., 1906, p. 98, 
> Garton, Journal of the Farmers Club, 1900, p. 47. 
