328 THE APPLE CULTUMIST. 



Petiole, a foot-stalk or leaf-stem ; not a pendnncle, which is a frnit-stem. 

 Fig. 158. Pistil, the central organ of a fertile flower, consisting usually of an 



s!? ovary, o; the style, s; and the stigma, a. Some plants have only ono 

 pistil. The rose has numerous pistils. The embryo apple may be seen 

 at o, in a perfect apple-blossom. 



Pistillate, those flowers that have pistils, but no stamens. 



Plumule, the young and tender stem of the future tree, when bear- 

 ing two or more leaves. (See Fig. 3, p. 22.) 



Pollen, the fine fertilizing powder contained in the anthers of a flow- 

 er, without which a tree would produce no fruit, and plants no crops. 

 We once cut off all the tassels of a hill of Indian corn, which grew alone 

 in the yard of our city residence, before the tassel had grown above the 

 leaves of the corn, and no corn grew on the cobs. If the stamens of 

 apple-blossoms could be removed before the anthers burst, to allow the 

 pollen to fall on the stigmas of the pistils, there would be no apples. 

 The figures herewith given represent magnified views of pollen-grains, 

 copied, by permission, from "Gray's Botany." Fig. 159 is a ^ 



grain of the curious compound pollen of the pine. Fig. 160 

 (see below) is a pollen-grain from the flower of an Evening 

 Primrose. Fig. 161 is a grain from the Enchanter's Night- 

 shade. Fig. 162, a pollen-grain of the Kalmai flower. Fig. 

 163 > a pollen-grain of the Succory. Fig. 164 represents the 

 pollen of Wild Balsam Apple, which nearly resembles the pol- 

 len of the common apple when magnified. The pollen of certain plants, 

 when magnified, possesses a more curious form than any of the accompanying fig- 

 Fig. 160. Fig. 161. Fie. 162. 



ures. Professional botanists can often determine, by an examina- 

 tion of the form of the pollen grains, to what family the plant be- 

 longed, without seeing even the blossom that produced the pollen. 



Pome, a fleshy, pulpy pericarp, containing one or more capsules, or carpels ; as an 

 apple or pear. The word pome is a term applied to apples and many other fruits. 



Pomology, the science and art of propagating fruit-trees and cultivating fruit. 



Primary, first in order of time or importance, as the primary roots of a plant, 

 which are produced when the kernel first vegetates ; opposed to the system of 

 secondary roots of a plant or tree, which appear near the surface of the ground. 



Pubescent, covered with very fine, soft hairs. The apple-leaf is pubescent above. 

 (See Tomentose.) 



Pulp, a soft, fleshy, juicy mass. It is often applied to the flesh of ripe fruit. 

 Then it signifies crushed frnit or vegetables. 



Pungent, sharp-pointed, or prickly at the apex ; also acrid. 



Pupa, an insect in the third, or next to the last state of existence, during which 

 period it has not the power of locomotion ; and when it takes no food. An in- 

 sect in the chrysalis state. (See Chrysalis.) 



Putamen, the hard shell of a walnut, or butternut, the brown shell of a chestnut, 

 the brown shell of an apple-seed or pear-seed, the stone of a peach, plum, or cherry. 



Pyramidal, tapering upward from the base, or bilge, to the top. When a hedge 

 is sheared, or pruned of a pyramidal form, the sides taper upward from the base, 

 or widest part, to a narrower top. But when a tree of any kind is pruned or sheared, 

 the top above the bilge is more of a conical than of a pyramidal form. 



Pyriform, largest at the apex, or crown of a fruit ; shaped like a pear. 



