The Kalmias 



erect with such force tha^t their contents of powdery 

 pollen are shot out of the little circular holes that exist 

 at their anther tips. It has been suggested that the 

 sudden movement frightens the insect that has un- 

 wittingly brought it about, and in the midst of a pollen 

 shower it flies off hurriedly to another flower, thus 

 bringing about cross-fertilisation. A honey bee has 

 actually been watched causing these explosions and 

 effecting cross-fertilisation. Some observers say that if 

 no insects come the flowers wither and fall off with the 

 anthers still in the petal pockets. But observations 

 made in the Dresden Botanical Garden show that this 

 sudden up-springing and scattering may take place 

 spontaneously ; and there, at any rate, insects never 

 seem to visit the rosy blossoms. The pollen tended 

 to be shot out a foot or so on to the ovary columns of 

 adjacent flowers, rather than on to the flower's own 

 ovary column. However, good seed resulted from these 

 manoeuvres. 



All kinds of uses have been found for this shrub 

 in its native home. Its very hard wood is manu- 

 factured into chisel handles and spoons, hence is the 

 plant sometimes known as "Spoon-wood"; the glossy 

 evergreen foliage is used for decorations at Christmas 

 and other festive occasions, the berries of the decidu- 

 ous holly (Ilex verticellatd) being often added to give 

 a verisimilitude to English holly. The leaves and 



"5 



