124 AMERICAN VINES. 



as possible to the ground, or place them under glass frames 

 in the vineyard itself. 



The simultaneousness of the florescence being assured, the 

 male and female plants being decided upon, the bunch to be 

 fecundated is chosen. It should be vigorous and normally 

 developed, and when a few flowers begin to open, which are 

 removed, is the best moment to proceed with the operation. 

 We preserve, towards the centre of the bunch, 30 to 50 well 

 developed flowers. With a small dissecting forceps, the cap 

 of the corolla is seized, while exerting a slight pressure and 

 pulling upwards at the same time. The petals become 

 detached from their base, and, with a little skill, they are 

 removed, together with all the stamens. If the petals were 

 not removed by the first operation, they should be seized at 

 their point of insertion, and successively disarticulated. 

 When two or three petals are disjointed, the whole of the 

 corolla is easily detached. We remove the stamens which 

 did not become detached, and then ascertain, with a 

 magnifying glass, that there is no pollen on the stigma. The 

 operation being made on all the flowers, we remove that part 

 of the bunch not used. 



The bunches from the vine which is to act as male have 

 been previously gathered in full bloom. They are shaken 

 -over the stigmas of the bunch to be fecundated, the stamens 

 not naturally dehiscent are rendered so by exposure for a few 

 moments to the direct rays of the sun (Millardet), we then 

 ascertained, with a magnifying glass, if the stigmas are im- 

 pregnated. The pollen, as shown by Millardet, may be 

 gathered and dried in the open air for a few days previously, 

 and preserves its fecundating power for ten days at least. 

 This pollen dust may be spread over the stigmas of the pre- 

 pared bunch. 



The impregnated flowers may remain exposed to the open 

 air, but it is better to take additional precautions. The bunch 

 is isolated in a bag of gummed gauze, kept distended with a 

 fine wire spirally arranged inside, so as to prevent foreign 

 pollen from entering and affecting the results sought; for 

 other pollen, with a greater sexual affinity, might fall on the 

 stigmas and develop more rapidly. It is better to place in 

 the gauze bag a fragment of the male flower, which would 

 subsequently furnish pollen, if the fecundation had not taken 

 place as desired. 



A relatively short time is necessary for the pollen cell to 

 -germinate on the stigma, and for the pollen tube to travel 



