FERTILIZATION OF THE FLOWERS. 



Thoro apppiirs to ho no fixeil rule with roijiinl to tlio fortiliza- 

 tiou of the flowers of ii genus. 



There are instances among phmta in which tlie flowers of the 

 same s})ecies are fertilized in a different manner in different 

 seasons and in different countries, and certain specimens of a 

 species are fertilized in an excei)tional manner durijig the same 

 season or in (he same neighhorhood. 



As a rule, a certain specifled flower of a grass remains open 

 only for a very short time, but different flowers of a i)lant may 

 appear at successive periods, extending over eight days, more or 

 less, in Indian corn ; seven days, more or less, in Timothy, several 

 days in oats and wheat, and for a much longer period m branching 

 grasses like Brat/rosfis and Muhlenlicrulo. 



As an example of the fertilization of grasses, we And tlie fol- 

 lowing, by A. fS. Wilson, in an admirable, illustrated i>aper on 

 "Fertilization of Cereals," in the (Jardeners' Chronicle, for 

 ilarch 18T4, and February, ISIo: 



"From the time at which the ears, or 

 ])art of the ears, of the four European 

 cereals, wheat, rve, l)arlev and oats, 

 appear above the slietith, till the time of 

 flowering, the stUcs and the anthers 

 remain in nearly the same position. 

 During this time the fllaments are of 

 such length as to place the lower ends of 

 the anthers in cojitact with the upper '1 

 part of the ovary, wliile the styles lie 

 embraced by the anthers, the whole being 



straight and running in the same direc- p,,, 64.-Fiower« of wheat, 

 tion as the axis of the closed pales. If '^^^^^^f^^^^^U^!'^'''- 

 a floret of two-rowed barley is held up between the eye and the 

 light before fertilization has taken place, the anthers will be seen 



