The Golden Rule for Flowers 189 



which is deformed, having grown on one side; and the 

 reason here, too, is similar. 



The calyx of the apple-blossom is a tube which spreads 

 out at the top into five leaf-like divisions. Inside the 

 tube, and joined to it, are the ovaries, which together form 

 the horny core. When the stigmas are all properly dusted 

 with pollen, each ovary, with its two pips, begins to grow; 

 but if nothing else grew, there would be no apple, only a 

 horny seed-vessel, the only eatable part of which would 

 be the seeds. But the calyx inclosing the core grows too, 

 and so does the top of the stalk from which it springs; 

 and it is these which together form the apple. 



If, however, one of the stigmas be by chance left with- 

 out pollen, then the ovary belonging to it, with its two pips 

 and the part of the calyx next to it, does not grow, and 

 the apple is misshapen. 



There is a French apple called the S. Valery apple, 

 which is remarkable for having a double calyx and a 

 double core, with ten divisions, but no petals, and only 

 imperfect stamens, which produce no pollen. This has to 

 come, therefore, from different varieties, and it is a regu- 

 lar custom for the girls of S. Valery to go to the orchards 

 in the spring, taking pollen from various other apple- 

 trees, to, as they say, ''make their apples." Each marks 

 with ribbons her own fruit, and the different pollen pro- 

 duces apples of different flavor, color, and size, according 

 to the variety of apple from which the pollen has been 

 taken. 



Occasionally one hears of an apple-tree which indulges 

 in the freak of bearing fruit, some of which is of the ordi- 

 nary shape, and some pear-shaped, both sorts growing on 

 the same twigs. In this case one must suppose that the 



