SECT. II. AGENCY OF THE POLLEN. 3p0 



opinion also, as well as many other eminent natu- 

 ralists. But the most convincing evidence in sup- 

 port of the opinion of the ovarists is that which has 

 been produced by Spallanzani, as founded on aSpallan- 

 series of observations on the flowers of the Spartium 

 junceum. This plant was chosen on account of its 

 producing at the same time flowers in all the dif- 

 ferent stages of progress. His first observations 

 were made upon flower buds not yet expanded: 

 they seemed to form a compact and solid body; 

 but upon being dexterously opened, the petals, 

 which were yet green, were with some difficulty 

 discovered, then the stamens, and then the pistil. 

 The powder of the anthers was even perceived im- 

 bedded in a glutinous substance ; when the pistil 

 was freed from the surrounding integuments, and 

 attentively viewed with a good glass, the pod was also 

 discovered of about 1 T V line in length. Several pro- 

 tuberances were seen upon its sides; which, upon 

 opening it longitudinally, were found to be occasioned 

 by the seeds, which though but small globules were 

 already discoverable, arranged in their natural order, 

 and attached by filaments to the interior of the Pod. 

 Upon dissection, they did not exhibit any appear- 

 ance of the several parts and membranes into which 

 the mature seed may be divided ; but a spongy, 

 homogenous mass. Flowers in the same state of 

 forwardness were not fully expanded till twenty 

 days after. On dissecting buds of a larger size the 

 petals were found to be somewhat yellowish and 



