THE PLANT 



that will produce a better plant. Cross pollination by 

 hand is often used by plant breeders when, for purposes 

 of seed selection, a specially strong plant is desired. The 

 steps in hand pollination are as follows: (i) remove the 

 anthers before they open to prevent them from 

 pollinating the stigma (the 

 steps in this process are illus- 

 trated in Figs. 37, 38, and 

 39) ; (2) cover the flower 

 thus treated with a paper bag 

 to prevent access of stray 

 pollen (see Fig. 40); (3) 

 when the ovary is sufficiently 

 developed, carry pollen to 

 the stigma by hand from the 

 anthers of another plant 

 which you have selected to 

 furnish it, and rebag to pre- 

 vent access of any stray pol- 

 len which might accidentally 

 get in; (4) collect seed when 

 mature and label properly. 



Hand pollination has this 

 advantage, you know both 

 parents of your seed. If 

 pollination occur naturally, you know the maternal but have 

 no means of judging the paternal parent. You can readily 

 see, therefore, how hand pollination enables you to secure 

 seed derived from two well-behaved parents. 



Sometimes we can breed one kind of plant upon another. 

 The result of such cross breeding is known as a hybrid. In 



FIG. 37 



The bud on right at top is in proper con- 

 dition for removal of anthers ; the 

 anthers have been removed from the 

 buds below 



