106 POLLEN, 



design, in calling your attention to this subject, is to shew ther 

 use of the pollen in the vegetable economy. You have seen 

 the effect of moisture upon the pollen ; you will recollect that 

 the stigma was said to be imbued with a liquid substance, anrt 

 that the anther, when ripe, throws out the pollen by the spon- 

 taneous opening of its lids or valves ; the pollen coming in 

 contact with the moist stigma, each little sack of it explodes, 

 and the oily substance which it contains being absorbed by 

 the stigma, passes through minute pores into the germ. 



In the germ are seeds formed, but these seeds require tho 

 agency of the pollen to bring them to the perfection necessary 

 for producing their species. You see now why the stamens 

 and pistils are so essential to the perfection of a plant. Na- 

 ture does not form a beautiful flower and then leave it to 

 perish without any provision for a future plant ; but in every 

 vegetable provides for the renewal of the same. 



The real use of stamens and pistils was long a subject of 

 dispute among philosophers, till Linnaeus explained it beyond 

 a possibility of doubt ; these organs have from the most remote 

 antiquity been considered of great importance in perfecting 

 the fruit. The Date Palm, which was cultivated by the an- 

 cients, bears stamens and pistils on separate trees ; the Greeks 

 discovered that in order to have good fruit, it was necessary 

 to plant the two kinds of trees near together, and that without 

 this assistance the dates had no kernel, and were not good for 

 food. 



In the east, at the present day, those who cultivate palms 

 select trees with pistillate flowers, as these alone bear fruit. 

 When the plant is in blossom, the peasants gather branches of 

 the wild palm trees, whose blossoms contain stamens, and strew 

 the pollen over their cultivated trees. 



Pistillate flowers are called fertile, staminate infertile flowers. 



As moisture causes the pollen to explode, rains and heavy 

 dews are sometimes injurious to plants ; the farmer fears wet 

 weather while his corn is in blossom. Nature has kindly or- 

 dered that most flowers should either fold their petals together, 

 or hang down their heads when the sun does not shine ; thus 

 protecting the pollen from injury. 



The fertilization of the fig is said to be accomplished by in- 

 sects. In this singular plant the fruit encloses the flower; it is 

 at first like a hollow receptacle, lined with many flowers, sel- 

 dom both stamens and pistils in the same fig. This receptacle 

 has only a small opening at the summit. The seeds are ferti- 

 lise of the pollen in the vegetable economy Real use of the stamens and 

 pistils unknown till the time of Linnaeus Cultivation of palms in the east 

 Flowers fold their petals in wet weather Fertilization of the fig. 



