[337] 



SCIENTIFIC MANUAL. 



51 



rated from the end of the flower-stalk (receptacle) but 

 standing in their natural position. Fig. 11. 



The stamens and pistils are the 

 immediate organs of reproduction. 

 Fig. ; 11 represents a complete 

 flower in which both of these or 

 gans appear. Fig. 12 an incom- 

 plete flower, having stamens but 

 ' no pistils. 



Some plants have uniformly 

 complete flowers which are inde- 

 pendent of the winds and insects 

 for their fertilization. To this 

 class belong the cotton plant and 

 small grain. Others have the pis- 

 tillate and staminate flowers on 

 separate parts of the plant, and are 

 entirely dependent for fertilization 

 upon winds and insects. To this 

 class belong Indian corn, which 

 has the staminate flower in the tassel, and the pistillate in 

 the silk ; and the melon family, which have a large number 

 of staminate flowers attached to long stems, and a few pis- 

 tillate flowers attached to the young melon which repre- 

 sents, the ovary. These are usually fertilized by bees 

 and other insects, which carry the pollen from the stami- 

 nate to the pistillate flowers and thus facilitate fructifi- 

 cation. 



Others still have pistillate and staminate flowers on dif- 

 ferent plants. This is seen in the willow, poplar, persim- 

 mon, hemp, some varieties of strawberries, etc. Others 

 still have staminate, pistillate and complete flowers on the 

 same plant. 



The stamen consists of two parts, the filament or slen- 

 der stem, and the anther, which is a hollow sack on the top 

 of the filament filled with a fine yellow powder, called /<?/- 



Fig. 12. 



