Rain at Blossoming -time. 337 



influence on the ripening of the fruit, for the fruit of 

 both vines ripened at the same time. * * * 



"A microscopic examination, made after the spray 

 had been running eleven days, failed to disclose any 

 perceptible injury to the pollen. The pollen germs 

 were not disintegrated, nor had they germinated, and 

 no difference could be detected between them and 

 pollen grains from the check vine. By its peculiar 

 structure the grape blossom is well adapted to with- 

 stand protracted rains without injury to the sexual 

 organs. As shown by one of the writers in a re- 

 cent paper (see page 230), many grapes pollenize 

 their own stigmas before the blossoms open enough 

 to allow the entrance of outside pollen, and the 

 Duchess belongs to this class. Although self-pollina- 

 tion is thus insured, efficient fertilization does not 

 always follow, and consequently in some varieties 

 it does not result in the production of fruit. Such 

 grapes are able to set fruit only when supplied with 

 outside pollen. It is, therefore, probable that with 

 grapes of this class, e. </., Salem and Brighton, 

 the effect of constant spraying throughout the blos- 

 soming period would give more marked results than 

 with the variety noted in this experiment. 



"The most marked aud permanent influence of 

 the spray was seen in the character of the fruit. 

 The clusters from the treated vine had very many 

 abortive berries, either with no seeds at all or with 

 only mere rudiments of seeds. A few clusters were 

 nearly or quite perfect. These may have blossomed 

 after the spray had been discontinued. All other 



