96 THE BOOK OF THE SWEET PEA 



tube formed by the united filaments. The stigma, 

 which is situated at the extremity of the pistil, is 

 located just below the anthers. When the pollen sacs 

 on the anthers are ripe they burst, the escaped pollen 

 completely covering the stigma with its minute grains, in 

 this way fertilising the flower. The pollen-bearing 

 vessels ripen at a very early period in the history of 

 each flower, and for this reason, the small buds often 

 when they are not more than half-an-inch in length 

 should be taken in hand very early. With the small 

 blade of a sharp knife, the case in which the keel is 

 enclosed should be slit up and the unripe anthers 

 removed. All danger of self-fertilisation being by 

 these means removed, we may proceed to make our 

 cross, by taking pollen from the flower of one 

 variety and transferring this to the stigma of the 

 flower of another, from which the anthers have, of 

 course, been removed. 



This is a very simple method of cross-fertilisation 

 which any one with a little application may readily effect. 

 Some raisers after removing the anthers, as we have 

 suggested, take the bud of another Sweet Pea that has 

 burst its pollen-sacs, and after opening this with a knife, 

 hook this on to the pistil of the first flower. The 

 curved stigma should be slightly viscid when it is in a 

 proper condition to be fertilised. Until the stigma is in 

 the condition we have described, it would be unwise to 

 proceed with this work. At this period it would not 

 be necessary to wait very long however. Some raisers 

 of new Sweet Peas transfer the pollen grains by the aid 

 of a camel-hair brush. When the stigma is in a viscid 

 state the pollen readily adheres. 



Immediately subsequent to the cross being made, the 

 fertilised flower should be covered with a tissue-paper 

 bag or one made of muslin, to prevent insects interfering 

 with our plans. Should there be any doubt of the cross 



