6 GRASSES AND FORAGE PLANTS. 



of this family both on one side, in some, entirely wanting,) and 

 the germ, ovary, or seed bearing portion of the pistil. The 

 stamens are also seen in the same figure, consisting each of a 

 bag filled with a fine powder or pollen, supported upon a stalk 

 or filament which is analagous to the stalk or stem of a leaf, 

 while the bag which holds the pollen, called, the anther, corres- 

 ponds to the blade or body -of the leaf. These are essential 

 parts of the flower. At a particular stage of its growth, the 

 anther, bursting, scatters its pollen, some of which, lighting 

 upon the summit of the stigma, is said to fertilize it, when the 

 new seed begins to enlarge, and a germ is formed capable of 

 producing other plants.* This process is very apparent. to the 

 observation of the farmer in the case of Indian corn, on which 

 the pollen is so aljundant that it may be shaken ofi" in clouds. 

 It falls upon the stigmas or " silks," one of which is attached 

 to each embryo seed or germ ; and without this particle of pol- 

 len, the seed would not be capable of attaining maturity. The 

 same is seen less palpably in the other grasses, as, for instance, 

 in Herds-grass. The same arrangement occurs in this whole 

 family of plants, though it is more evident in Indian corn, on 

 account of its size, than in the smaller grasses. The anther, as 

 will be seen, consists of two cells — very prominent and hanging, 

 supported on the long, slender filaments, and forked or divided 

 at the end. The two short and smooth styles rise from the 

 summit of the ovary, and the stigmas are feathery or rough, 

 sometimes branched or compound. Only one seed is contained 

 in each ovary, and each seed is covered, wlien mature, with a 

 thin husk or hull called the pericarp, which originally formed 

 the germ or ovary ; and the ripe seed or fruit is only the ovary 

 arrived at maturity. The substance or albumen of the seed of 

 all the grasses is mealy or farinaceous, as wheat, for instance, 

 or rye, or Indian corn, which are most used as seeds, on account 

 of their size and productiveness. 



These are the prominent characteristics of this great and 

 universally diffused order of plants, constituting, as it does, the 

 chief support of animals as well as men. They belong, as has 



* The germ is the first part of the seed that Is distinctly formed, and hence, 

 if Indian corn is plucked while " in the milk," or in a green state, fit for 

 boiling, it will germinate the next year as well as if it v/ere allowed to ripen. 



