ON THE ALMOND 
individual blossoms varied widely in color and in 
size. 
But there were other trees that produced no 
blossoms whatever under any circumstances. 
These would form great clusters of buds, but 
instead of bursting into flowers the buds would 
drop off and ordinary branches would come out 
in their stead. 
In the case of buds already opened to form 
flowers, the blossoms not only varied as to size 
and color, but they showed the most astonishing 
diversity as to their essential fructifying organs. 
Some of the blossoms had numerous pistils and 
no stamens. Others had numerous stamens and 
no pistils. In yet other cases there were blossoms 
having stamens and pistils but absolutely without 
petals. 
In no case was fruit formed. The blossoms one 
and all were sterile. 
An attempt was made to fructify the blossoms 
by pollenizing them with pollen from each of the 
parents. But the effort was futile. The ovaries 
were seemingly incapable of maturing. 
It would appear, then, that the Japanese plum 
and the almond, as represented by the particular 
specimens that were used in these hybridizing 
experiments, were just at the limits of affinity that 
permitted cross-fertilization, but imposed sterility 
[69] 
