LUTHER BURBANK 



the presence of a certain amount of edible pollen. 

 In short, for such insect tribes as like the particular 

 fare which the calla offers, its beautiful white 

 tube constitutes a highly attractive lodging-place 

 and lunchroom. 



Meantime, while the insects are lodging at the 

 base of the stalk on which the true flowers grow, 

 these flowers shed their pollen and let it settle on 

 the backs of the visitors. 



And when, in due course, the insects resume 

 their voyaging, they carry the pollen with them 

 and in time transport it to other calla blossoms; 

 for when they enter the new flower they are 

 likely to find the stalk at its center a convenient 

 alighting place, and crawling down this are sure 

 to leave some of the pollen in contact with 

 receptive pistils. 



That the pistils shall be those of a different 

 plant from the one that supplied the pollen is 

 ensured by Nature's familiar device of having the 

 stamens and pistils of the same flower ripen at 

 different times. 



A Gift of Nature 



All this sufficiently explains the utility of the 

 large white modified leaf or spathe which we 

 commonly speak of as the calla's flower, and also 

 the normal habit of this flower in producing only 

 the musty odor which is rather disagreeable to us, 



[78] 



