52 



remain till they open spontaneously. From 

 the blossoms of the tree, which it is pro- 

 posed to make the male parent of the future 

 variety, must be taken a portion of their 

 pollen or farina, when ready to fall from the 

 mature anthers, and deposited upon the 

 pointals of the blossoms, which consequently 

 will afford seed. By shaking the blossoms 

 over a sheet of white paper, you will ascer- 

 tain when the pollen is ready. It is neces- 

 sary in this experiment, to cover the branches 

 on which the prepared blossoms are, with a 

 thin muslin or gauze, so as not to touch the 

 flowers, or keep off the sun or air, but to pre- 

 vent the bees or other insects from inocula- 

 ting them with the pollen of other blossoms, 

 which would make the experiment uncertain; 

 and in order to obtain the fruit and the seeds 

 of a large size, it is best to leave but few 

 blossoms on the tree, and, at all events, to 

 clear the branches on which the prepared 

 flowers are, from all other blossoms. When 

 the fruit is quite ripe, the pips or seeds 

 should be sown at a proper season, and in 

 suitable soil, and in about four or six years 

 fruit may be expected. Mr. Knight has 

 also made some curious experiments between 

 the peach and the almond, which will be 

 found in the account of the former fruit. 



