124 Gardening 



looks for new and valuable 

 kinds. In some respects the 

 plants may be like one or the 

 other of the original parents, 

 but there are often forms 



FIG. 75. Showing how a tomato ji^ are Hiffprpnt in <;nmp 

 flower is prepared for hand pollina- 

 tion, a, the stage before shedding features from either parent 



of pollen when anthers are removed : , 1-1 v i 



b, flower with stamens removed; and Which When Selected 



pistil fully developed and ready for may y i e ^ new and Valuable 

 artificial pollination. 



varieties that will breed true. 



In his work the plant breeder self-pollinates the 

 flowers, if possible, of the individuals of the hybrid gen- 

 erations. But in some plants the pollen will not ferti- 

 lize the ovules on the same plant, or the pollen and pistils 

 mature at different times, so that cross-pollination must 

 be practiced. In studying hybrids, one can obtain a 

 clearer idea of their resemblances to the original parents 

 if attention is given to only one character at a time. 

 The exact way in which a plant breeder goes about his 

 work can be better understood from a study of the 

 cross-breeding of a particular plant, like corn or the 

 tomato. 



Cross-breeding corn. Plants of two varieties of corn 

 may readily be crossed, provided they bloom at the same 

 time. Let us suppose that rows of the variety of white 

 corn known as " S to well's Evergreen " are planted alter- 

 nately with rows of the black variety called " Black 

 Mexican." The tassels on the plants of the Evergreen 

 can be removed as soon as they appear and before they 

 shed any pollen. The wind will then carry pollen from 

 the Black Mexican to the pistils of the Evergreen, and 



