124 Gardening 
looks for new and valuable 
kinds. In some respects the 
plants may be like one or the 
other of the origina! parents, 
: but there are often forms 
Fic, ‘75. Showing how a ttmato Ghat are different im sone 
flower is prepared for hand pollina- 
tion. a, the stage before shedding features from either parent 
of pollen when anthers are removed: 
b, flower with stamens removed; and which when selected 
pistil fully developed and ready for may yield new and valuable 
artificial pollination. cage : 
varieties that will breed true. 
In his work the plant breeder self-pollinates the 
flowers, if possible, of the individuals of the hybrid gen- 
erations. But in some plants the pollen will not ferti- 
lize the ovules on the same plant, or the pollen and pistils 
mature at different times, so that cross-pollination must 
be practiced. In studying hybrids, one can obtain a 
clearer idea of their resemblances to the original parents 
if attention is given to only one character at a time. 
The exact way in which a plant breeder goes about his 
work can be better understood from a study of the 
cross-breeding of a particular plant, like corn or the 
tomato. 
Cross-breeding corn. Plants of two varieties of corn 
may readily be crossed, provided they bloom at the same 
time. Let us suppose that rows of the variety of white 
corn known as “‘ Stowell’s Evergreen ’’ are planted alter- 
nately with rows of the black variety called “ Black 
Mexican.” The tassels on the plants of the Evergreen 
can be removed as soon as they appear and before they 
shed any pollen. The wind will then carry pollen from 
the Black Mexican to the pistils of the Evergreen, and 
