22 ORIGINATING OF VARIETIES. 



Selecting two varieties, while yet early in flower, and before the 

 anthers had burst and discharged the pollen, he 

 cut out with a fine pair of scissors all the 

 stamens, leaving the pistils untouched (fig. 2). 

 | When the stigma became sufficiently mature, 

 which was indicated by its glutinous surface, he 

 transferred the pollen of the other sort, on the 

 point of a camel's-hair pencil. The fruit, thus 

 yielded, was unchanged ; but its seeds partook 

 variously of the nature of both parents, and the trees growing from 

 them bore new and intermediate varieties. 



For the success of such experiments, several precautions are req- 

 uisite. The flower must be deprived of its stamens before it has 

 fully expanded, or before the anthers have already burst and 

 scattered their dust ; the pollen must be procured from a bursting 

 or fully matured anther, when it will be dry and powdery ; the 

 stigma must be inoculated as soon as it becomes adhesive or glu- 

 tinous, otherwise it may be fertilized from another source, and then 

 the intended pollen cannot possibly take effect. For a stigma once 

 inoculated, cannot be inoculated again. It is safest, where practi- 

 cable, to force the trees by artificial heat into flowering a few days 

 earlier than others, so as to be secure from accidental inoculations 

 of pollen floating in the air ; and to prevent its spread by bees, to 

 apply a temporary covering of gauze. A want of attention to these 

 minutiae, has led some experimenters to fancy they had obtained 

 crosses, when they had only natural seedlings." 



Budding. This mechanical process, in connection with that of 

 grafting, layers, and cuttings, is performed for the purpose of 

 increasing the number of trees or plants of any one variety ; and is 

 performed on stocks of the same or closely allied species. These 

 are designated under each particular head of Apples, Pears, &c., on 

 other pages. The process and practice is also one, which, although 

 well and truly described in all fruit works and most of the leading 

 journals, is nevertheless too often attended with so much of failure, 

 that while we here repeat descriptions, we at same time advise 

 every new beginner to visit the leading nursery-man or successful 

 amateur grower in his immediate neighborhood, and learn more in 

 half a day from practical example than could be told him were one 

 to write a month. In order to be successful, it is requisite that the 

 stock on which it is intended to operate should be in a thrifty, 

 healthy state, not too early or late in the season, but the best time 

 is usually just when the terminal bud is forming. Various modes 

 of budding are known and described ; but that most successful, most 

 rapid, and in common use, is the one termed incorrectly, American 

 shield budding, described by Forsyth in 1802 which differs from the 



