30 



THE FLOWER GROWER'S GUIDE. 



removed the anthers from the seed-bearing flower, you api>ly the gohl dust-like pollen 

 from the male or father plant, with the effect stated and shown on page 23. 



This may be done witli a clean sable pencil, or with a pointed stick or a shred of 

 bamboo, but do not make it too sharp-pointed, and then if you dip the point in 

 water and butt it gently on a hard surface, you will separate the fibres of the bamboo 

 and form a neat little brush that is both handier and cleaner than a sable or camel-hair 

 pencil. 



When you propose to use your bamboo points or brushes (Fig. 21) for removing 



Fig. 20. IvOSA KuBiGiNOSA. (Sweet Briar). 

 1, Sepals ; 2, petals ; 3, anther ; 4, young carpel ; 5, ripe carpel (seed) ; 6, section of flower. 



pollen, first dip the stick into the tube of a fuschia or any other nectar (honey) yielding 

 fiowe]-, as this not merely causes plenty of pollen to adhere firmly to the stick, but it also 

 facilitates its growth when applied to stigmas that are smooth and dry. The stigmas 

 themselves may be lubricated with flower honey before putting on the pollen, with 

 advantage. Observe carefully that the pollen is ripe, in which state the grains are 

 easily separable and of a golden yellow, red, or bluish colour, generally yellow. 



Another main point is to see that the stigmas of the seed parent are in a fully- 

 developed and receptive state. This is generally indicated by the surface being fully 



