The Quinces 



and the fact that flowering continues freely until June, 

 while odd flowers may be found throughout the whole 

 year, constitutes one of the chief attractions of the 

 shrub. 



The flowers appear in small clusters of two to 

 eight. The end of each flower stalk is a miniature 

 crater, round the edge of which are set five sepals and 

 (alternating) five petals. On the crater's inner slopes 

 are set five rings of ten stamens apiece whose heads 

 are free to nod. These stamens offer an abundance of 

 pollen to eager pollen-collecting bees and flies, the 

 outer ring commencing first to discharge their contents 

 and the other rings following in due succession. On 

 the base of the " crater " is the seed-case with five 

 locules, a number of seeds being in each locule. Five 

 long columns the styles rise from it; each carries 

 two lateral lobes stigmas whose function it is to 

 catch the fertilising pollen. 



A circular reddish disc, forming almost a roof to 

 the ovary, projects from the crater's sides just below 

 the stamens, and pours out honey lavishly into the 

 crater; it is the nectar gland of the flower. 



But this honey lies too deep for hive bees to reach 

 it ; their proboscides are only some 6 mm. long, 

 while the honey is at double that depth, so they have 

 to content themselves with pollen, the secondary object 

 of their desire. The most successful visitor to the 



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