44 



FUNDAMENTALS OF AGRICULTURE. 



stigma, which the pollen must reach in order to fer- 

 tilize the bodies (called ovules), which become seeds. 

 There may be or not, depending upon the plant, a 

 longer or shorter piece called the style between the 

 stigma and ovary. In the young ear of corn the young 

 grain is the ovary, the silk being the style out to the 

 feathery part which is the stigma. 



Parts of the Stamen. The stamens consist of two 

 (or four) little elongated usually yellow bags or 

 boxes, in which the pollen is produced, and of a stalk 

 supporting them. These parts are called respectively 

 anthers and filament. 



Petals and Sepals. In addition to stamens and pis- 

 tils most flowers have one or two sets of somewhat leaf- 

 like organs, those next to the stamens usually being 

 colored, the petals, while the outside set is mostly 

 green, the sepals. The petals considered together are 

 called the corolla and the sepals together the calyx. 

 The whole flower is borne on a longer or shorter 

 stalk, or this may be wanting. 



Variation in Arrangement. This general scheme 

 of the flower, i. e., beginning at the outside, sepals, 



petals, stamens and 



f st pistil, exhibits endless 



variation. The sepals, 

 petals and stamens 

 may become united to 

 each other, each in its 

 own series, or the sta- 

 mens may be united 

 to the petals and ap- 

 pear to arise from 

 them. The axis of 

 the flower may be 

 widened where the 

 calyx, corolla and sta- 

 mens join it, leaving 



SECTION OF A TOMATO FLOWER. ^ -^ ^J ^ ; fc 



ex, calyx: c, corolla; s, stamens; p, pistil; o, ovary; ,1 jji r 



st, stigma. were in the middle or 



