124 POPULAR FRUIT GROWING. 



edible cob. The word fruit as used by the fruit grower had a 

 certain definite, well understood significance before the dawn 

 of scientific botany and the botanists should not attempt to 

 change the significance of the word. 



. Pollen. Pollen grains vary in form but are cell-like in 

 structure and have the power of making a root-like growth into 

 the tissues of the pistil to the ovary where the contents of the 

 pollen grain unites with and fertilizes the ovule. Without this 

 process taking place, seed is not produced and it is seldom that 

 fruit is formed at all. Pollen from one distinct kind of fruit 

 will not fertilize the ovule of another of a different, distinct kind 

 but each is restricted to a very close limit. For instance, the 

 pollen of one variety of the apple will fertilize other apples 

 but will not fertilize the plum. When varieties of the same 

 or nearly allied fruits are fertilized with the pollen from one 

 or another, they are said to be crossed and the operation is 

 termed crossing. The results from this work are seldom well 

 marked in the crossed fruit although the skillful operator may 

 sometimes be able to see it. But the results of the cross will 

 show in the seedlings from the crossed fruit and it must not 

 be expected that the seedlings will partake equally of the nature 

 of each, for we know from much experience that the results of 

 such crosses are uncertain and irregular. 



Pollination. Under natural conditions flowers are pollen- 

 ized in various ways, but chiefly by wind, in the case of 

 plants that have inconspicuous flowers such as corn, pine, 

 spruce and poplar; and by insects in our cultivated fruits and 

 most other plants which have conspicuous flowers. Some flow- 

 ers are probably pollenized in both ways. 



Hybrids. Where a cross is made between very unlike forms, 

 as between the sand cherry and the plum, the result is generally 

 termed a hybrid. The difference between crosses and hybrids 

 is only one of degree and of late years there has been a tendency 

 to do away with the use of the term hybrid altogether. There 

 is a very common impression that hybrids are exceedingly rare 

 and of more value than ordinary crosses but such is far from 

 being the case, as they are frequently of little value for any 

 purpose and often fail to form seed and even to set fruit. 



