Pollination: or Hov) to Cross Plants 285 



leaving only the pistil. The line at W, in Fig. 81, shows 

 where the flower of the lily might be cut off. 



The method for a compositous flower is shown in the 

 picture of the zinnia, Fig. 90. In this plant the outer 

 flowers of the head are pistillate, whilst those of the 

 disk are perfect. It is only necessary, therefore, to remove 

 the central stamen-bearing flowers before any of them 

 open, and to cover the flower up before any of the pistils 

 near the border have protruded themselves. The upper 

 head in Fig. 90 shows the untreated sample, while the 

 lower one shows the same with the cone of central flowers 

 pulled out. This treated head should now be covered, 



FIG. 92. Ladle for pollinating house tomatoes. 



to await the maturing of the stigmas. In many composi- 

 tous plants, however, the case is not so simple as this, 

 because all the flowers are perfect. In such cases, nearly 

 all the florets should be removed from the head, and a 

 few remaining ones emasculated in essentially the same 

 method as described for the tobacco, Fig. 89. 



Whenever flowers are borne in clusters, nearly all of 

 them should be removed and the attention confined to 

 only two or three of them. One is then more certain of 

 getting seeds to set. In some cases, like the apple cluster, 

 only one or two flowers of any cluster ever set fruit, 

 and the operator should then choose the two or three 

 strongest and most promising buds, and cut all the others 

 off. 



