HISTORY OF THE APPLE. 37 



som of this species of fruit contains about twenty chives 

 or males (stamens,) and generally five pointals or fe- 

 males (pistils,) which spring from the center of the cup or 

 cavity of the blossom. The males stand in a circle just 

 within the bases of the petals, and are formed of slender 

 threads, each of which terminates in an anther. It is 

 necessary in these experiments that both the fruit and seed 

 should attain as large a size and as much perfection as pos- 

 sible, and therefore a few blossoms only were suffered to 

 remnin on each tree. As'soon as the blossoms were nearly 

 full-grown, every male in each was carefully extracted, 

 proper care being taken not to injure the pointals ; and 

 the blossoms, thus prepared, were closed again, and suf- 

 fered to remain till they opened spontaneously. The 

 blossoms of the tree which it was proposed to make the 

 male parent of the future variety, were accelerated by be- 

 ing brought into contact with the wall, or retarded by be- 

 ing detached from it, so that they were made to unfold at 

 the required period ; and a portion of their pollen, when 

 ready to fall from the mature anthers, was during three or 

 four successive mornings deposited upon the pointals of 

 the blossoms, which consequently afforded seeds. It is 

 necessary in this experiment that one variety of apple 

 only should bear unmutilated blossoms ; for, where other 

 varieties are in flower at the same time, the pollen of these 

 will often be conveyed by bees to the prepared blossoms, 

 and the result of the experiment will in consequence be 

 uncertain and unsatisfactory." * * * 



In his Pomona Herefordiensis, he says : "It is neces- 

 sary to contrive that the two trees from which you intend 

 to raise the new kind, shall blossom at the same time ; 



