STRAWBERRY. 



are some twenty or more organs, which are called stamens. 

 These are quite different in appearance from the pistils, be- 

 ing longer, and each one is terminated by a small knob, 

 which is called the anther. The anthers contain pollen, a 



Fig. 13. SECTION OP PERFECT FLOWER. 



substance that is necessary for the production of seed. In 

 figure 12 is shown the same flower as in figure 11, but, be 

 ing considerably enlarged, the stamens are more readily 

 seen. The same flower is shown in figure 13, divided longi- 

 tudinally to show the parts still more distinctly, and their 

 relative positions. 



Every so-called seed of the Strawberry has one pistil 

 situated on its apex ; consequently it is a 

 very important organ, inasmuch as it is 

 through this channel that the influence of 

 the pollen reaches the ovule or seed vessel. 



The stamens are situated on the calyx, 

 and they may be artificially removed or 

 suppressed by nature, in which case we 

 have a pistillate flower which will produce 

 fruit, if the pistils are fertilized from 

 another flower. It is not important 

 whether a flower produces its own pol- 

 len or is supplied from another source. 



Figure 14 shows a pistillate flower of 

 the usual size, and in figure 15 the same enlarged. By com- 

 paring these with the two preceding the difference may 

 readily be observed. 



Fig. 14. PISTIL- 

 LATE FLOWERS. 



