S8 



THE PRACTIOL 6EB QWiDE. 



summits the anthers (e) which contain the fertilizing- dust {f). 

 No. 4 — the gyncecium, or pistil (C) — is the female sexual organ, 

 situated in the centre of the flower, and containing the ovary {g) 

 and stigma (7i). For the production of a perfect seed it is 

 necessary that the germs of the pistil be fecundated by the 

 pollen of the stamen. When the pollen grains are ripe they 

 are shed by the anthers. Some flowers are bisexual, or herma- 

 phrodite, having both male and female organs, but these are 

 rarely self-fertilized, nature having provided against it : as, 

 for example, in the primula, in which occur long stamens and 

 a pistil with a short style, or short stamens and a pistil with a 

 long style. Fertilization is commonly effected by insects, and 

 to encourage their visits, the perfume, nectar, and gay colours 



FLOWER: Si'AMBN: AND PISTIL. 



A, Stamen, e, Anther; /. Pollen. B, Sketch of Typical Flower, a, Calyx:— 

 iepals; B, Corolla:— Petals; c, Andrceoium :— Stamens; d, Gynoeoium (Pistil): — 

 Darpels. C, Pistil, g, Ovaryj ft, Stigma; i". Style. 



of the flowers are developed (57), Bees are among the most 

 useful workers in this field of nature's economy. They enter 

 the flowers (9), gather their loads of pollen, even roll them- 

 selves in the rich dust, fill with it their baskets (corhiculce) (34) 

 carry home their provender and deposit it in the cells. Thus 

 the pollen is carried from stamen to pistil, and from flower to 

 iiowcr, and fruits and flowers become fertilized which, but for 

 the visits of the insects, would remain barren. Bees have long 

 been recognised as valuable fellow-labourers with the horti- 

 culturist ; and many cases are on record in which fruit trees 

 have ceased to bear, or have borne but indifferently, when bees 



