Rain at Blossoming-time. 337 
influence on the ripening of the fruit, for the fruit of 
both vines ripened at the same time. * * = * 
“A microscopic examination, made after the spray 
had been running eleven days, failed to disclose any 
perceptible injury to the pollen. The pollen germs 
were not disintegrated, nor had they germinated, and 
no difference could be detected between them and 
pollen grains from the cheek vine. By its peculiar 
structure the grape blossom is well adapted to with- 
stand protracted rains without injury to the sexual 
organs. As shown by one of the writers in a re- 
cent paper (see page 230), many grapes pollenize 
their own stigmas before the blossoms open enough 
to allow the entrance of outside pollen, and the 
Duchess belongs to this class. Although self-pollina- 
tion is thus insured, efficient fertilization does not 
always follow, and consequently in some varieties 
it does not result in the production of fruit. Such 
grapes are able to set fruit only when supplied with 
outside pollen. It is, therefore, probable that with 
grapes of this class, ¢. g., Salem and Brighton, 
the effect of constant spraying throughout the blos- 
soming period would give more marked results than 
with the variety noted in this experiment. 
“The most marked and permanent influence of 
the spray was seen in the character of the fruit. 
The clusters from the treated vine had very many 
abortive berries, either with no seeds at all or with 
only mere rudiments of seeds. A few clusters were 
nearly or quite perfect. These may have blossomed 
after the spray had been discontinued. All other 
W 
