102 MYSTERIES OF THE FLOWERS 



Nightshade — Solanum Dulcamara 

 Again we find the ingrowing 

 anthers, and the pollen tube 

 formed thereby, in flowers of the 

 Nightshade or Solanum family — 

 the potato, tomato, and Jimson- 

 weed. The fact that the anthers 

 form a close pollen-chamber, 

 opening only in two small 

 pores or "chinks" at the 

 NIGHTSHADE apcx, sct mc to Speculating 



as to their secret mode of shedding pollen. At 

 last I suspected that the pollen-chamber was an 

 air-bag intended to blow out the pollen when com- 

 pressed by some clasping insect, just as the little 

 sand-stars blow out their spores when touched. To 

 test this I took a flower of the nightshade and 

 placed it upon a strip of glass, and at the apex 

 of the anthers put a drop of adhesive Canada 

 balsam. Then, with a quick movement, I flattened 

 the little balloon formed by the anthers, thus com- 

 pressing the air within. I now examined my Can- 

 ada balsam under the microscope, and was grati- 

 fied to find a little cloud of pollen-grains ad- 

 hering, like a cloud of smoke around a cannon's 

 mouth. 



Thus I believe I have solved the mystery of the 



