WORK OF HYBRIDISING 29 



to erect a barrier against self-fertilisation by arranging 

 that, as a general rule, the large majority of the stamens 

 of a bloom have shed their pollen before many of the 

 carpels of that particular bloom mature. Truly a kind 

 provision of Nature aimed at rendering it unnecessary for 

 the pollinator to attempt that, in the case of the Chrysan- 

 themum, practically impossible task of " deanthering " the 

 flower, a matter so necessary in Narcissus crossing. 



It will be found that the outer rows of stamens ripen 

 first, and produce and shed their pollen, and so on in 

 practically concentric rings to the middle of the dome of 

 the bloom, before the outer row of carpels are in a fit 

 state to receive the pollen. And so pollen has to be 

 carried to them, by insect or brush, from at least some 

 little distance. 



The easiest bloom to work upon is the bloom which 

 shows what is called an " open eye," for in this the organs 

 of reproduction are more clearly visible, and accessible 

 to the operations of the hybridist ; but there will also be 

 found, in most blooms, enclosed at the base of the petals, 

 the usual stamens and carpels, and to get at these it is 

 necessary to cut off, with a small pair of sharp scissors, 

 the outer portions of the petals. 



As to the time at which the operation of fertilisation 

 should be performed, it may be taken as a rough, but 

 sufficient guide, that whereas the pollen condition is 

 generally easily apparent on inspection, the stamens of 

 the seed-bearing flower, at least those in the outer rows, 

 are mostly only ready for pollination at the time that the 

 stamens of the central portion are ready to shed, or have 

 actually shed, their pollen. One has to resort to some 

 such rule, inasmuch as the inspection of the individual tiny 



