AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 259 



J^apoleon^s late grand Cattle Show — Animals from all countries. 



" The much vexed question of over fattening in breeding cattle, 

 has again been agitated here, (Paris,) in such a manner as will 

 fail, we are' certain, to bring it to a satisfactory conclusion. One 

 of the rules of the programme of this show was " That all animals 

 found too fat by the Judges^ would he thereby disqualified for com- 

 peting for prizes /" So far, so good; but how are breeders to know 

 the point of condition' at which they are to stop? The judges 

 should publicly state the rules by which they were guided ! 



In the poultry class they had 1,400 birds! Isine thousand 

 animals were on exhibition. 



[Revue Horticole. Paris, June 16, 1856.] 

 Translated by H. Meigs. 

 - HYBRIDATION. 



"We believe we cannot too strongly call the attention of horti- 

 culturists to hybridation, or in plain speech, the artificial fecunda- 

 tion of plants. We puldished last year an interesting memoir on 

 this subject by Mr, Klostzch of Eerlin, (we have translated it 

 lately, H. Meigs.) The importance of the results to be obtained iu 

 this way, merits the meditation of men of ability and leisure. Na- 

 tui-e has given us species of plants, and as appears by experiment, 

 she has not imposed any limit to the perfection and modifications 

 of which these sj^ecies are susceptible. 



Hybridation is founded on precisely the same principle as the 

 crossing of animal races. In tlie animal kingdom the cross of two 

 animals in the same zoological circle, is a metis or half-breed, par- 

 taking of father and mother in respect to form and aptitude, and 

 capable of reproduction. The product of two animals of a differ- 

 ent circle is a mule, not capable of reproduction, and differing 

 somewhat from the father and mother. The analogy to this in 

 the vegetable kingdom is complete, for their seeds are also sterile. 



Nothing is more simple than this process of hybridation. It is 

 only putting in contact the pollen on the anthers of one flower 

 upon the pistil of another flower. The two flowers must be in 

 the same state of advancement — that is open their blossoms at the 

 same time. The stamina are the male organs, and the pistils fe- 

 male. Pollen is a fine dust, generally of a pale yellow color. 



