CHAPTER VII 



SELF-FERTILISED FLOWERS 



Definition and description of a 

 thing implies the existence of its op- 

 posite. There are excej)tions to every 

 rule, and this applies to the cross-ferti- 

 lisation of flowers. All flowers are not 

 always and invariably cross-fertilised. Many 

 of them at times are self-fertilised. In fact, 

 the rule is that no flower can live upon self- 

 fertilisation alone, but must occasionally have its 

 pollen crossed with that of another flower of the 

 same species. 



It is probable that the first perfect flowers were 

 entirely self-fertilised, and as the struggle for ex- 

 istence became more and more fierce, they devised 

 for themselves means that should better fit their 

 race to conquer. 



Let us see what flowers may or may not be self- 

 fertilised. In the first place, we may cut out all 

 our orchids, save one. They, with the exception 



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