128 



Ihe Grape Culturlst. 



fifth, however, remaining and having 

 a tendency like the otliers to cuvl or 

 roll, will throw the cap of petals off 

 from the anthers, which until this 

 time are folded neatl}' together on 

 the stigma, and the stamens coming 

 from the base of the berrj- to the 

 anthers now spring back from the 

 berr}", holding the anthers out at a 

 distance from the stigma like five sen- 

 tinels guarding the work that is now 

 complete — I say complete — and now 

 let us go back and watch another 

 part of the process, to see if I am 

 correct. First, however, let us take 

 a sharp pointed knife and remove the 

 cap of petals. At this stage we com- 

 menced our observations, and we find 

 as before said, the stamens lying 

 against the side of the berry, and the 

 anthers folded neatly on and around 

 the stigma. 



There is now no pollen, but the an- 

 thers are a clammy substance, Avhich 

 in two or three minutes' exposure to 

 warm air, dries and becomes a fine 

 powder or pollen of a yellowish hue, 

 instead of the watery color, the stigma 

 is dry and a clear green ; but as soon as 

 it is exposed to the air, a little moisture, 

 clear and watery looking, rises on the 

 stigma. This, mind, is the condition 

 upon artificially removing the cap. 

 Now let us see the natural operation. 

 One, and finally tAvo of the petals let 

 go and curl up — the air enters, a third 

 petal curls up — the clamni}' matter be- 

 comes dry, forming the pollen — then 

 drops of moisture appear on the 

 stigma, the pollen is absorbed by it, 

 and carried doAvn through the pistil 

 to the embryo seeds, the fourth petal 

 loosens its hold, the Avhole cap, as 

 before stated, curls oft", the stamens 



spring back, and in five to ten minutes 

 the moist or viscid matter is dry on 

 the stigma, the work of impregnation 

 is DONE, and all the ingenuity of the 

 human race could not arrest the pro- 

 cess and introduce foreign pollen to 

 this stigma and produce a hybrid or 

 cross. 



I present these as facts to the hor- 

 ticulturist and botanist as undeniable, 

 and challenge any living man to dis- 

 prove them. 



Now let us apply the process laid 

 down by several writers on hybridiz- 

 ing. 



One says, " watch the falling of 

 the petals, and with a pair of small 

 scissors cut oft" the anthers and j;re- 

 ve)it natural fertilization; then dust 

 the stigma with the foreign pollen 

 and protect for a day or two to keep 

 insects from bringing and introduc- 

 ing other pollen, which they often do, 

 and again apply pollen after a few" 

 hours and for a number of days." 

 It is onl}^ necessary for me to men- 

 tion the above to call the attention 

 of interested men, and they will see 

 the fallacy of such statements. 



But there is a matter of much im- 

 portance connected with the principle 

 of hybridization. As intimated at the 

 outset, aside from that of producing 

 a new grape, as I see from various 

 sources that efforts are being made to- 

 fertilize unproductive varieties, such 

 as the Taylor, bj'- planting them with 

 other varieties that bloom at the same 

 time. Now, if, as I positively affirm, 

 that accidental fertilization is abso- 

 lutely impossible, and if the natural 

 process of fertilization is as I describe 

 it, I have clearly proved that point; 

 then why should our grape culturists- 



