74 SYSTEMATIC POMOLOGY 



with respect to size and general appearance, 

 in the size of the petals, etc. The chief point 

 of difference, however, relates to the num- 

 ber of stamens present and the amount of 

 pollen borne. This quality is usually, though 

 somewhat incorrectly, spoken of as sex. Flow- 



no. 24 PERFECT AND IMPERFECT BLOSSOMS 



ers which have only pistils and no stamens 

 are said to be female, and those which have 

 both pistils and stamens are said to be bi- 

 sexual or hermaphrodite. It is doubtless 

 better to call the former imperfect and the 

 latter perfect (Fig. 24). These terms, also, 

 are in common use. Flowers bearing pistils 

 only are also often called pistillate. 



The plant should be described, as suggested 

 in the accompanying description blank, as to 



