G80 Tlir. rilACITCAL OAIlDrXER. l^^'^^- 



arc called monrvcini/s plants, from the circumstance of their 

 respective or;rans hoiiicj placed each in one distinct flower. 

 Unless the female flower, which generally carries at its base 

 the rudiments of the young fruit, be imprcii^natcd with the 

 pollen or farina of the male, the young fruit will constantly 

 turn yellow, and drop soon after they have flowered. 



In summer, when the plants are fully exposed, the gentle 

 breezes of wind, and the dilicrent winged insects roaming from 

 flower to flower, carrying upon their wings the fertilizing dust 

 from one flower to another, will, for the most part, perform 

 this ofhcc without the care of the cultivator. But in spring, 

 and during the winter months in particular, when small por- 

 tions of air can only be admitted, and when no bees or other 

 flying insects inhabit the frames, the necessity of artificial 

 impregnation becomes absolutely necessary, by carrying the 

 male to the female blossoms in the following manner : — ■ 



At the time when the flowers of both sexes are fully ex- 

 panded, or the day after at liu'thcst, the male blossoms, which 

 are easily distinguished from the female, as noticed above, (no 

 appearance whatever being shown of their having the rudi- 

 ments of fruit attached to their base,) gather such of the best 

 male blossoms as appear strong, and with them a portion of 

 the peduncle or flower-stalk, about an inch in length, by 

 which to hold the flower in one hand, while with the other 

 pull off the petals or corolla {f//e colored leaves of thejiowcr) 

 carefully from abcnit the stamina and antheric ; then, still hold- 

 ing the flower by the peduncle between the flngcr and thumb, 

 apply the anthenc, or top of the stamina, to the centre of the 

 three stigmats of the female flower, and turn it about two or 

 three times, that it may discharge or inject a sufficient portion of 

 the pollen or farina into the said stigmats or female organs, and 

 then throw it away, using a fresh male flower for every female 

 one operated upon, unless the male blossoms be scarce, (but 

 this is seldom the case,) when one male flower may be suflicicnt 

 for several females. 



It may sometimes occur early in the season, that female 

 flowers may appear when there are no male ones wherewith 

 to impregnate them; this v. ould be a mortifying circumstance 

 indeed, and recourse must then be had to other plants in the 



