Plant Breeding. 



277 



The sack will of course have to be removed for polli- 

 nation, after which it should be promptly replaced. 



Pollination should be performed twenty-four to forty- 

 eight hours after emasculation (441), the period de- 

 pending upon the plant 

 and the stage of develop- 

 ment of the flower at the 

 time of the latter opera- 

 tion (150). Applying 

 the pollen on two consec- 

 utive days tends to in- 

 sure success. 



The pollen is applied 

 by placing an anther 

 (143) containg mature 

 pollen in direct contact 



FIG. 172. Emasculated flower in- with the Stigma (144), 



or by removing some of 



the pollen upon the back of the point of a penknife or 

 by means of a camel's-hair brush, and carefully apply- 

 ing it to the stigma. A pin, of which the head has 

 been flattened by hammering, inserted in the end of a 

 stick, forms a convenient tool for this work. A slen- 

 der stick of sealing wax drawn to a blunt point may be 

 used in pollination by rubbing it on the sleeve to 

 electrify it. 



The best time for pollination in the open air, is often 

 in the early morning, since the atmosphere is then 

 usually still, and contains little pollen from other flow- 

 ers, which, if freely present in the air may vitiate the 

 results of the pollination. 



