9 8 



IMPERFECT AND PERFECT FLOWERS 



FIG. 54. Indian corn. 



varieties of strawberry have perfect flowers; 

 others have pistillate flowers. A variety that 

 has pistillate flowers will not bear fruit un- 

 less plants of a variety that has perfect flowers 

 grow close by to furnish the pollen. 



Determine before Planting the Variety of 

 Flowers of a Plant. By looking at the flow- 

 ers of a variety of strawberry, we can tell 

 whether it will fruit well if planted alone. 

 If it has perfect flowers, it will; if it 

 has imperfect flowers, it will not. 

 Before planting a bed of strawberry 

 plants we should find out whether the 

 variety we desire to plant has perfect 

 or imperfect flowers. If the plants 

 are not in bloom, the person of 

 whom we procure them will gen- 

 erally be able to tell us. 



Flowers of Indian Corn are 

 Imperfect. The Indian corn plant 

 has imperfect flowers. The plume- 

 like "tassel" that grows at the top 

 of the stalk contains many flowers, 

 but these flowers usually contain 

 only stamens. They yield pollen in 

 abundance. Most country boys and 

 girls have seen the yellow pollen 

 dust on the leaves of Indian corn 

 soon after the tassels form. The 

 young ear bears the pistils, which 

 are the so-called "silk." Each 



