292 AMERICAN GRAPE CULTURE. 



thers of one species or variety, and applied to 

 the pistil of another species or variety. But, in 

 order to secure fertilization by the pollen used, 

 the stamens must be removed from the flower 

 fertilized before the anthers have shed their pol- 

 len. It becomes necessary, therefore, to cut off 

 the anthers some time before the pollen is ripe. 

 In some kinds of flowers it becomes difficult to 

 do this, since fertilization takes place before the 

 flower expands, and the difficulty is greatly in- 

 creased when the flower is so small that it is 

 almost impossible to handle it. 



The flower of the grape, among others, is 

 difficult to fertilize artificially in the open air. 

 The first thing to be done is to remove the 

 stamens from the flower to be fertilized, and 

 this must be done some time before it expands, 

 or sheds its envelope, or the flower will be fertil- 

 ized in the natural way, and it is never fertilized 

 a second time. It is next absolutely necessary 

 to protect the flower, not only from the access 

 of insects, but also from the air, or the pistil will 

 be fertilized by the pollen that is always float- 

 ing about the vineyard at this time. When the 

 flower has opened on the vine that it is proposed 

 to cross with, the pollen must be collected 

 from it on a fine camel's hair pencil, and brushed 



