HYBRIDIZING AND CROSSING. 79 



soon as the pollen lodges there it penetrates the stigma, 

 and passes down through the pistil to the ovules, or un- 

 developed seeds. Now this operation goes on without 

 the assistance of man, in all perfect flowering varieties 

 of grapes ; but when we wish to cross or hybridize a 

 variety, we fertilize its stigma with the pollen from 

 another plant, and prevent the pollen of the flower fer- 

 tilizing its own stigma. To do this, so soon 

 as the flowers open we cut off the anthers with 

 a small pair of scissors, leaving the flower, as 

 seen in Fig. 26 (D, stamens with the anthers 

 removed) ; then take the pollen from another 

 no. 26. variety, and dust it over the stigma. This 

 last operation is performed with a fine camel's-hair 

 pencil. Suppose we wish to produce a cross between the 

 Eaton and the Delaware, which would certainly be very 

 desirable, as the former is very large but not remarkably 

 good, while the latter is small but most excellent ; and 

 suppose we choose the Eaton for the fruiting parent. 

 Now, it is very desirable that they should come into 

 bloom at nearly the same time ; but if they do not, it is 

 positively necessary that the one to be fertilized should 

 be the last to bloom ; for the pollen can be kept good 

 for a few days by cutting off the anthers when in a 

 proper condition, putting them in fUe, soft paper, plac- 

 ing the whole in a bottle, and corking it up until 

 wanted. When the plant, the pistil of which is to be 

 fertilized, comes into flower, it can not be retarded, and 

 the operation must be performed as the blossoms open 

 although the period of blossoming may be hastened or 

 retarded if the vine is operated upon early in the season 

 for that purpose. When the Eaton shows signs of flow- 

 ering we should watch it closely, and so soon as a flower 

 drops its petals the anthers should be immediately cut 

 away, and some pollen from the Delaware applied to the 

 stigma. Operate upon every one that is sufficiently 



