264 



AGRICULTURE. 



water. Now the bag should be carefully tied around 

 the twig, below the flower cluster, so as to insure the 

 exclusion of insects and undesirable pollen (Fig 860). 



(c) The bag should be removed from time to time 

 and the stigma examined with a hand-lens, to see if it is 

 ready to receive the pollen. This can usually be told 



FIG. 86. 



ORANGE FLOWKR 



Knclosed in paper bag after 



emasculation. 



FIG. 866. NEARLY MATURE 



HYBRID ORANGE 



Knclosed in gauze bag to prevent 



loss by dropping. 



by the presence of a mucilaginous excretion, or by 

 the appearance of papillae upon the surface of the 

 stigma. 



(;/) It should not be forgotten that the flowers from 

 the other plant selected to be crossed must likewise be 

 protected from insects and foreign pollen. This is done 

 by enclosing the entire floxver cluster in a paper bag be- 

 fore the bud opens. 



(e) When the anthers begin to open, the pollen should 

 be collected, labeled, and kept until the stigma is ready 

 to be fertilized. Then the pollen is gently applied to the 

 stigma by means of a fine-pointed scalpel or even a pen 

 knife. 



