1^2 PROPAGATIOK 05 PLANTS. 



berry, on the surface of .whicli are seated the small true 

 fruits." Also on page 594: "But sometimes the long 

 series of deep-seated changes induced by fertilization ex- 

 tend also to parts which do not belong to the ovary and 

 even to some which have never belonged to the flower. " 

 Among the plants so affected he names the Fig, Straw- 

 berry and Mulberry. 



In some kinds of plants even the ovary itself appears 

 to be the result of pollination. Dr. Hildebrand has 

 shown that in some of the Orchids, that it is only during 

 the growth of the pollen tubes through the tissues of the 

 stigma and style that the ovules become so far developed 

 that fertilization can at length be afEected. In other 

 words, in the absence of pollen, no ovary or organs for 

 containing ovules or seed are produced. But as the 

 space at my disposal will not admit of reference to the 

 various authors who have touched upon this subject, i 

 must omit them, for my principal object in referring to 

 the influence of pollen upon other organs besides the 

 seeds is to open the way for seeking an erplanation of the 

 cause of certain phenomena often occurring among.culti- 

 vated plants — for instance, the occasional change of 

 color and general appearance of specimens of fruits, 

 when growing in close proximity to other closely allied 

 but distinct species or varieties. There are many in- 

 stances on record, and others are being noted every sea- 

 son, both in Europe and this country, of fruits, and 

 especially Apples on one tree, assuming the coloi' of those 

 of an adjoining tree. Sometimes only one or two speci- 

 mens on interlacing branches are thus afEected, while in 

 other instances nearly all, or a certain branch, will show 

 the effect of the cross-fertilization. Several such in- 

 stanc3s were observed and reported by Dr. Hildebrand, 

 of England, to the Gardeners' Chronicle, some twenty 

 years ago, and in each case the change in the color of 

 the fruit showed very clearly that it was due to the 



