52 SEXUAL CHARACTER. 



'^ 



Fig. 4. 



Fig 4. A perfect flower, with a stamen and pistil detaciied. a, the anther. 



&, the filament, p, the pistil. 



of change in any variety. We do not know that a 

 change in open-air cultivation is now much contended 

 for from any quarter. "We think the mixing of plants 

 causes staminate and pistillate blossoms to be seen 

 together. In forcing, we ai'e told, by high authority, 

 that some plants, like the melon, &c., change their 

 sexual character, and why not the strawberry? Wo 

 do not know that this point, that the strawberry does 

 so, has yet been fully established. 



The English varieties are mostly staminates, and 

 bear fruit of extraordinary size and flavor; but we 

 think not in so large quantities as some of our pistil- 

 lates. Certainly all the English staminates prove com- 

 paratively only second-rate in our soil and climate. 



