EXPLANATION OF PLATE. 
k 
e L—Portion of stem of Vanilla plant, with leaf, aerial root, and cluster of 
flowers; a, front view of Vanilla flower; b, side view; c, aerial root, 
with root hairs. 
Fig. 2. d flower of Vanilla, exhibiting the first stage in the process of artificial 
fertilizat The operator, provided with a finely-pointed piece of 
bamboo, divides the lip or labellum medially, so that the central lobe is 
separated from the two side lobes. This exposes the column and organs 
of fecundation. The instrument is represented as placed against the 
column, ready to press upwards the anther a, and bring the pollinia in 
contact with the stigma b. 
es 3 een flower = Vanilla, exhibiting the second stage in the process of 
cial fertilization ; b shows position of column exposed by division of 
di i [the middle lobe of lip is pulled forward and soes api itself to 
Show the position of the column; the side lobes of li 
shown in Fig. 2, are represented at back of the iiio $0, ds SEN 
- of pollen masses, taken from the anther and placed on the stigma. 
Fig. 4.—Enlarged front view of top of the column; a, the anther. 
Fig. aee side view of top of the column; a, the anther; 5, the stigma, or 
d surface on which the pollen masses must be placed to ensure 
fertilization. 
section through top ‘of the column; a, one of the tee masses 
in situ; b, the stigmatic cavity. i ; nee 
Fig 7 Sa section through top of b column ; a, the T masses, having 
n transferred from a, Fig. 6, are now represented in contact with the 
enun surface. d dried shown, these figures 
give a tolerably good of what is actually necessary in order to 
mte fertilization i ina Viii flower.] 
