PROPAGATION, BREEDING 121 



Small paper bags are put over both par- 

 ents, so that no possible outside pollen 

 can come in. The flower which is to 

 be the female is emasculated — that is, 

 the stamens which bear the pollen are 

 removed just at the time when the bud is 

 about to blossom forth as an open flower. 

 A small sharp implement is used, cutting 

 through the petals and removing all the 

 stamens. The blossom is then rebagged. 

 When the pollen is ripe on the other bagged 

 blossom, the bag is removed and the pollen 

 knocked onto a watch glass or other re- 

 ceptacle and this powder is immediately- 

 applied, by the aid of a camel's-hair brush, 

 to the emasculated flower so that the pistils 

 have sufficient pollen for pollination and 

 fecundation, which results in clean, well- 

 shaped fruit. It may be necessary to 

 pollinate the flower twice to be sure of 

 supplying enough pollen. 



The flowers are bagged at once and remain 

 so until the fruit has attained some size; 

 then the paper bag is exchanged for a mesh 

 bag either of very coarse cheesecloth or 

 mosquito netting. This latter bag remains 

 on until the fruit is fully matured. 



