CROSSING FOR NEW VARIETIES 37 



the other hand, there is reason to fear, from the 

 number and character of many of the so-called crosses 

 introduced from time to time, that many have far too 

 loose an idea of what crossing really means. While 

 there is nothing particularly difficult in the operation, 

 it is, for the most part, slow and delicate work, and 

 requires extreme care to insure certainty as to the 

 purity of the results. We have no right to assert 

 that a plant is a cross unless we know beyond perad- 

 venture that no other pollen except that of a given 

 parent has been allowed to reach the stigma of the 

 flower which developed the seed from which the plant 

 in question was produced. The mere fact that pollen 

 of a given variety has been applied to the stigma of 

 another variety is no evidence that crossing has taken 

 place. In order to explain the methods of crossing, 

 and to show what results may be expected, this record 

 of experience is inserted. 



The methods of crossing vary with the character 

 and structure of the flower in question, but the essen- 

 tial feature is the same in all cases. The pollen of 

 the flower which is to serve as the female parent must 

 be carefully and completely removed before it ripens, 

 then the flower must be carefully covered until the 

 stigma is ready to receive pollen and admit of fecun- 

 dation. The flowers of the male parent should also 

 be carefully covered before opening, to prevent the 

 admixture of pollen from any other plants. At the 

 proper time this pollen is conveyed to the stigma of 

 the protected flower on the female plant, and the flower 

 again covered until it has reached such a stage that 



