80 FRUIT-GARDENING. 



tained. Hence there are two great objects which the culti- 

 vator should aim at, viz. Amelioration and Propagation. 



LINDLEY'S MODE OF CROSS-FERTILIZATIOK 



Lindley recommends the operation of cross-fertilization to be 

 performed early in the morning of a dry day ; about sunrise 

 is a good time to begin, and before the blossom is entirely 

 expanded. The pollen being at that time humid, is closely 

 attached to the anthers. The blossoms must be carefully 

 opened and the anthers extracted by delicate scissors, care 

 being taken not to wound the filaments, nor any other part 

 of the flower. This being done, the matured pollen from 

 another variety must be carefully placed on the blossom which 

 it is intended to fertilize, and from which the anthers have 

 been extracted; and this operation must be repeated twice 

 or three times in the course of the day. By shaking the blos- 

 som over a sheet of white paper, the time when it is perfectly 

 matured will be ascertained. It is necessary to protect the 

 prepared blossom from bees and other insects with thin book- 

 muslin, or gauze, till a swelling is perceived in the germ. 

 When the process has been successful, the pollen which has 

 been placed on the stigma becomes so attached that it cannot 

 be removed with a hair pencil. It changes form and color, 

 and soon disappears, and the blossom will soon wither and 

 fade. But when the process has been imperfect, the pollen is 

 easily detached from the stigma, its appearance is unaltered, 

 and it remains visible with the duration of the flower, which 

 will continue a long time. 



