136 



On Flowers and Insects. 



another flower, would touch the pistil and transfer 

 to it some of the pollen, before coming in contact 

 with the stamens. In other species belonging to 

 the same great group or family of plants, the same 

 object is secured by the fact that the stamens come 

 to maturity before the pistil ; they shed their 

 pollen, and shrivel up before the stigma is mature. 



