ON THE ALMOND 



individual blossoms varied widely in color and in 

 size. 



But there were other trees that produced no 

 blossoms whatever under any circumstances. 



These would form great clusters of buds, but 

 instead of bursting into flowers the buds would 

 drop off and ordinary branches would come out 

 in their stead. 



In the case of buds already opened to form 

 flowers, the blossoms not only varied as to size 

 and color, but they showed the most astonishing 

 diversity as to their essential fructifying organs. 

 Some of the blossoms had numerous pistils and 

 no stamens. Others had numerous stamens and 

 no pistils. In yet other cases there were blossoms 

 having stamens and pistils but absolutely without 

 petals. 



In no case was fruit formed. The blossoms one 

 and all were sterile. 



An attempt was made to fructify the blossoms 

 by pollenizing them with pollen from each of the 

 parents. But the effort was futile. The ovaries 

 were seemingly incapable of maturing. 



It would appear, then, that the Japanese plum 

 and the almond, as represented by the particular 

 specimens that were used in these hybridizing 

 experiments, were just at the limits of affinity that 

 permitted cross-fertilization, but imposed sterility 



[69] 



