68 PRESENT-DAY GARDENING 



body seen inside the lip on the under side of the column, 

 and the stigmatic surface is not viscous. 



The details of the structure of the flowers being fully 

 understood, it will readily be seen that the first process in 

 the production of seeds is to fertilise the flower intended 

 to bear the seed capsule with the pollen of the other parent 

 selected. This is readily accomplished by lifting the pollen 

 masses beneath the anther-cap with a thin pencil or sharp- 

 ened stick and placing them on the stigmatic surface of the 

 seed-bearing parent. 



Flowers which are intended to be fertilised for seed- 

 bearing should have their own pollen carefully removed 

 before the pollen taken from the other plant is introduced, 

 the pollen removed being used to effect the reverse cross, 

 or to fertilise another species if desired. 



In fertilising small flowers with the pollen of larger 

 species, as in the case of Sophronitis grandiflora with the 

 pollinia of the larger species, the pollen masses may be 

 cut and a portion of it used in crossing the smaller flower. 

 When the flower of a plant has been fertilised, the plant 

 should receive special attention ; if it is a Cattleya, Laelia, 

 or one of the large-growing epiphytes, it should, after the 

 pseudo-bulb bearing the flower has had a number attached 

 to it corresponding to the number in the stock-book in which 

 the crosses are recorded, be suspended from the roof in a 

 comfortable and not draughty situation. If the plant is 

 in a pot, the pot should be placed in a basket and sus- 

 pended ; or if a suitable position can be found on the 

 stage, it could be placed on an inverted pot to bring 

 it into prominence and secure for it careful attention. 

 Where there is a number of seed-bearing plants, they 



