[ "i ] 



these experiments many varieties of the apple were coll6cted, which 

 had been proved to afford, in mixture with each other, the finest 

 ciders ; a tree of each was then obtained by grafting upon a para- 

 dise stock, and these trees were trained to a south wall, or if a 

 Siberian crab, to a west wall, till they afforded blossoms ; and the 

 soil in which they were planted was made of the most rich and fa- 

 vourable kind. Each blossom of this species of fruit contains about 

 twenty chives, or males, and generally five pointals, or females, 

 which spring from the centre of the cup, or cavity of the blossom. 

 The males stand in a circle just within the bases of the petals, or 

 flower leaves, and are formed of slender threads, each of which ter- 

 minates in a small yellow ball, or anther. It i^ necessary, in these 

 experiments, that both the fruit and seed should attain as large a 

 size, and as much perfection, as possible ; and therefore a few 

 blossoms only were suffered to remain upon each tree from which 

 it was intended to obtain seeds. As soon as the blossoms were 

 nearly full-grown, every male in each was carefully extracted, 

 proper care being taken not to injure the pointals or females; and 

 the blossoms, thus prepared, were closed again, and suffered to re- 

 main till they opened spontaneously. The blossoms of the tree 

 which it was proposed to make the male parent of the future va- 

 riety, were accelerated by being brought into contact with the wall, 

 or retarded by being detached from it, so that those were made to 

 unfold at the required period ; and a portion of their pollen or fa- 

 rina, when ready to fall from the mature anthers, was, during three 

 or four successive mornings, deposited upon the pointals of the 

 blossoms, which consequently afforded seeds. It is necessary in 

 this experiment that one variety of apple only should bear un- 

 mutilated blossoms ; for where other varieties are in flower at the 

 same time, the pollen of these will often be conveyed by the bees 

 to the prepared blossoms ; and the result of the expermient will in 

 consequence be uncertain, and unsatisfactory. 



