TilK POLLINATION ()L IM':A!: FLOWl'^lJIS. 



Doyenne) Avei'e not liuvt, and set a liigli per eent of IVnit. (2) Less tban 

 2 miles distant and on the same level was a Kieffer orchard, simi- 

 larly situated along the river, and although this orchard was iu flower 

 when the frost came, it was not injured in the least. The trees bore 

 an enormous crop, which brought the limbs down so that they rested 

 on the ground and in many cases broke oft. (3) A Bartlett tree at the 

 same j^lace as the Kieffers, with several other kinds near it, bore well. 

 (4) Oil the same farm iieacli trees in flower when the frost came, Avere 

 not injured so as to prevent their fruiting. Further, the common expe- 

 rience of fruit growers is that a light frost when pears are in bud does 

 not necessarily prevent their fruiting. This was evident from the pre- 

 AHons year's observations at Brockport. 



The day the Bartletts began to open (Sunday, April 17) was fine, 

 warm, and sunny. Probably one tenth of the flowers were out by even- 

 ing. Insect visitors Avere active and abundant all day. April 19 was 

 sunny until 11 o'clock, and bees and insects Avere very active, but by 

 that hour it became cloudy and rained during the afternoon. Friday 

 afternoon (April 22) Avas pleasant, as Avere also tAvo or three hours 

 Saturday morning. Aside from the time noted, the weather during 

 the flowering time of the Bartletts Avas cold and cloudy or rainy, so 

 much so that insects did not venture out. The cool, cloudy, and rainy 

 Aveather during the week of floAvering Avas x^robably a much more ])otent 

 tactor tlian the frost in tlie prevention of fruiting. 



Method of experimentation. — On April 13-15, before the flowers 

 opened, a considerable number of paper bags at ere placed over the 

 swelling buds. These were lastened on in the same mannei- as those 

 used at J^rockport. In addition to this, as soon as the flowers began 

 to open hand-pollination of flowers Avas tried. The flowers AA^ere first 

 ])repared for the purpose by removing their anthers. Such floAvers are 

 said to be emasculated. For this purpose unopened buds Avere selected. 

 After trying several methods of emasculating the floAvers, such as 

 hooking the stamens out with a crochet needle, pulling them out Avith 

 i'orce])S, or cutting them out with a scalpel, the folloAving plan, in Avhich 

 the only instrument used Avas a very fine, sharp pair of scissors, Avas 

 adopted: With the scissors in the right hand and grasping the floAver 

 between the thumb and forefinger of the left hand, the point is thrust 

 through the corolla considerably to one side of the center, so as to miss 

 the styles, A doAvniAvard cut Avill then open up the floAver, removing 

 about one-third of the corolla and one or two calyx tips, and taking part 

 of the stamens along. Tayo or three more cuts Avill remove the corolla, 

 the calyx tips, and all the stamens. The flower is then left Avith its 

 disk coin])lete or neai ly so, and its five pistils and fruit unharmed. Fig. 



2 shows an open floAver, natural size, Avith all its organs intact. Fig. 



3 shoAvs a bud Avith its petals removed. Fig. 4 shows the ai^pearancc 

 of an emaocula ted floAver. 



