PECULIAR CONSTRUCTION OF THE STAMENS IN SOME VARIETIES. 57 



At times, when sunshine is wanting, or when it is felt that extra 

 care is required, it is well to apply artificial assistance, such as 

 * setting " the flowers with a camel-hair pencil. The smallest portion 

 of pollen applied to the stigma will be sufficient ; or the plan of 

 smartly tapping the stems of the Vines, so as to shake the bunches, 

 may be adopted, when the pollen will be seen to fly off like a cloud of 

 dust : or, again, recourse may be had by drawing the hand gently 

 over the bunch. This plan is frequently practised with success 

 amongst the more " shy setters." 



Certain varieties of Grapes, it is well known, set their fruit freely 

 at all times, and under all sorts of conditions that may be 

 favourable for the Vine. Other varieties do not set freely, whatever 

 may be the reason, and are, in consequence, termed " bad setters." 

 Many and varied conjectures and ideas have been submitted from 

 time to time as to the probable cause of this defect. In practice 

 cultivators overcome the defect by artificially impregnating the flowers, 

 either with pollen from the same or of some other variety. For the 

 setting of Muscats a somewhat high temperature and dry atmosphere 

 are considered beneficial, yet others have been equally successful in 

 following the opposite practice low temperature and syringing the 

 bunches when in flower. Scientists have pointed out that the pollen 

 and the stigma in some varieties do not ripen at the same time, so 

 that fertilization cannot take place, and the action of foreign pollen 

 becomes necessary. In some cases the pollen is found to be inert ; 

 stress has also been laid on the peculiarity of some sorts having the 

 point of the stigma exceedingly moist, notably Black Morocco, and so 

 preventing fertilization, a condition generally supposed to be favour- 

 able for the reception of the pollen. 



Herr Stefan Molnar, Director of the School of Vine culture at Buda- 

 Pesth, has observed that the "free-setting" varieties of Grapes have 

 the stamens erect, forming a cluster round 

 the stigma ; whilst the " bad- setting" varie- 

 ties have the stamens deflexed or falling 

 away from the pistil, so that the pollen 

 does not so readily reach the stigmas. Dr. 

 Engelmann has also observed the same 

 peculiarity, and states that " the fertile 

 plants are of two kinds some are perfect 

 hermaphrodites with long and straight 

 stamens, the others bear smaller stamens, vi x-4 



shorter than the pistil, which soon bend u i jj a 



downwards and curve under it ; these may Fig. 22. Flowers of the 

 be called imperfect hermaphrodites and do Gra P e Vine showing position 

 not seem to be as fruitful as the perfect &S$Sd$ ^ing*" 

 hermaphrodites unless fertilized.' 5 



Fig. 22a is an illustration of the perfect hermaphrodite flower as in 



