DIVISION OF GARDENS AND GROUNDS, 679 
If it has no pollen, how does it happen that it affects trees all around it and causes 
them to produce Navel oranges? 
‘nswer,—The statement has not been made that because the Bahia orange flo wers 
are lacking in pollen here this variety does not fruit well in Florida, but rather 
that it does not fruit well there for the same reason, that is, want of pollen to prop- 
erly pollenize the pistil ; this we know to be a fact from personal inspection of trees 
of this variety when in flower in Florida. Since the first flowering of the Bahia 
-here, quite a dozen years ago, this defect has been recognized, After the fruit be- 
came popular in California it was ascertained, by inquiry, that while the trees did 
not bear so abundantly as many other varieties, yet it produced a fairly profitable 
crop in that State. 
It therefore seems probable that the climatic and cultural conditions permit of a 
better development at pollen in California than in Florida and in some other places. 
This would not be an exceptional case. It is well known that climatic conditions 
affect the pollen of plants. Those who are in the habit of saving seeds know that 
plants will often fail to set seed in the extreme heatef summer, but will produce 
fruit and seed abundantly later inthe season when the temperature is lower. The 
reverse of this is also known ; some plants will only seed well during the warmest 
part of the season, and fail to do so in cooler weather. Whether the flowering 
season of the Bahia in California is more favorable to the ripening of its pollen than 
is its flowering season in Florida is a point to be determined. 
During the month of December and most of the month of January the orange 
house here is kept at a low temperature, merely excluding frost, and it is also kept 
dry. Occasionally a stray cluster of flowers has appeared on the Bahia during 
this period, and such flowers have developed enough pollen to set fruit, which rarely 
happens in flowers which open in March. This, so far as it goes, indicates some 
relation between temperature and the production of perfect pollen. 
With regard to the question: If this navel orange has no pollen, how does it hap- 
pen that it affects trees all round it and causes them to produce Nayel oranges? it 
may be stated that this question has been frequently similarly presented for explan- 
ation. Presented in this manner it suggests doubt as to the accuracy of the obser- 
vation of those who have been unable to find pollen in the flowers of this variety of 
orange; at the same time it furnishes no proof of the existence of pollen on the trees 
which are stated to exert so powerful an influence upon theirneighbors, The ques- 
tion can therefore only be looked upon as an imaginary hypothesis, 
The absence or presence of pollen in a blossom is a matter easily determined; a - 
few minutes of inspection would enable the observer to state definitely whether it 
has no pollen or the reverse. 
If the statement is verified that the tree has an abundance of perfect pollen, the 
cause of non-productiveness would then become a question of further inquiry. This 
direct evidence of an abundance of pollen would be entitled to a degree of respect 
which is certainly not afforded by the supposition that because other fruit show a 
uate mark therefore the suspected tree must have had an abundance of perfect 
pollen. 3 
The navel mark on oranges is a very indefinite article. Sometimes fruits may be 
taken from a tree, some of which will have a scarcely perceptible indentation as a 
mark, while others will show a protuberance half an inch in diameter. The cause 
of this mark has not been explained, This much may, however, be looked upon as 
certain, that if a vegetable physiologist picked a fruit having something of a navel 
mark from a tree of the St, Michael’s, or from a tree of Maltese oval, or from one 
of any variety not known as a Navel, he would not be apt to attribute the appear- 
ance of the mark to pollen influence of any kind. 
CANARY SEED. 
G. M. E., Cecm County, Mp. 
_ I write for information upon the subject of canary seed. I have in view the sub- 
ject of planting it for a crop if it will grow here and pay. Ishall be obliged for 
what information you can give me as to the character of the plant, the probability 
of*its successful growth here, yield per acre, time of sowing, etc. 
Answer,—Canary seed is produced by a species of grass, Phalaris canariensis, 
oe be a native of Asia, but found growing wild in various parts of the eastern 
world, 
But little is known here about its yield or the profits pertaining to its culture, It 
is stated that the amount entering into consumption annually is about 200,000 
bushels, and it is chiefiy from Turkey and Barbary. 
