158 NATURE TEACHING. 



pistillate flower and gently touch its stigma 

 with the pollen -bearing portion of the 

 staminate flower so that some of the pollen 

 sticks. Replace the bag. Leave the second 

 pistillate flower tied up the whole time. The 

 first should form a ripe fruit, the second not, 



3. Select two plants of the same kind but 

 possessing well marked differences. The 

 hibiscus affords one of the best examples, as 

 great differences in form and colour are readily 

 found in the different varieties, and the flower 

 being large, and the stamens and pistils promi- 

 nent, manipulation is easy. Carefully cut, or 

 pull off, from one flower, some of the stamens, 

 which are just shedding their pollen, and carry 

 them to the flower of the other plant in which 

 the stigmas are mature (they are then somewhat 

 sticky). Touch the stigmas with the stamens, 

 so that some of the pollen grains adhere. Tie a 

 label or mark near the flower, that it may be 

 recognised in future, and make a note in your 

 note-book of the circumstances of the experi- 

 ment. Repeat the operation with several 

 flowers. When the fruit is ripe, gather it, sow 

 the seed, arid, later, plant out the young seed- 

 lings in the garden. When the plants flower 

 examine their flowers, arid notice how they 

 differ from each other and from the parent 



