18 



NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



inner leaves which alone are alive. In the roots the tip retains its 

 vitality, but in the older portions there is left but the thin cambium 

 between the feebly active layers of wood and bark. 



The apple flower is too well known to require a full description, but 

 the following summary may be useful : 



There are in the first place five green leaves (sepals*) grown to- 

 gether at the base of the flower, and constituting the calyx. f On the 

 top of the calyx are the five white or pinkish petals,J collectively 

 called the corolla. Next there are twenty or more thread-like or- 

 gans each with a yellowish head; these are the stamens, || and their 

 heads contain a yellow powder, the pollen. Tf There are five seed-pods 



FIG. 3. Flowers of the apple. A, fully open; B, cut vertically; C, the calyx; 

 P, petals; S, stamens; P, stigmas at the top of the pistils. 



(pistils **), but their bases are covered by the calyx-tube, leaving only 

 their elongated hairy styles, each capped with its flattish stigma (as 

 shown in Fig. 3 at P). In the lower portion of each pistil there are 

 usually two young seeds (ovules). 



In order that the fruit and seeds may develop it is necessary that 

 the ovules should be fertilized. This is done by the pollen when it 

 is placed 'upon the stigma of the seed-pod, where it grows down the 

 style to the ovule. The result of fertilization is the formation of 

 seeds, and the development of much fleshy tissue in the calyx-tube 



* Pronounced sep'-als. 

 t Pronounced ca / -lyx. 

 J Pronounced pet'-als. 

 \ Pronounced co-rolMa. 

 (I Pronounced ata'-mens. 

 f Pronounced pol'-len. 

 ** Pronounced pis'-tils. 



