APRIL — sept. 1859.] Proceedings. 



225 



a similar climate, before cultivating it. One point connected with 

 this subject has probably not been investigated, viz., has a field of 

 native cotton while in flower and seed been carefully and scientifi- 

 cally examined. Observations taken as to whether there were not 

 more than one variety in the field of a more robust habit, and pro- 

 ducing better Cotton than the others, this matter is worthy of con- 

 sideration, such occurrences are not unfrequent in the vegetable 

 kingdom, and mayhap a superior variety is at the door, while tra- 

 versing the universe for a better. 



If impregnation is to be tried, a few words may not be out of 

 place regarding the process which is exceedingly simple. 



The greatest part of flowering plants have the sexual organs 

 within their flowers. In the Nt. Ord. Mavaceoe to which Cotton 

 belongs the male organs are attached to the style or female organ 

 much care would be required in impregnating them, from the close 

 proximity of the stamens to the stigma, and the short duration of 

 the flowers, probably the safest way to proceed in this matter would 

 be to open the flowers carefully before they are developed and re- 

 move the stamens with a pair of tweezers before they shed their 

 pollen, after the flowers open the stigmas will require to be watched 

 till they appear moist when the pollen from the variety (the pro- 

 perties of which are required) should be applied in sufficient quan- 

 tity to cover the stigma completely. In order to prevent accident 

 from bees or insects, each flower impregnated should be covered 

 with a bag of muslin, or lace, and marked. The operation must 

 be conducted in dry calm weather, notes should be carefully taken 

 at the time as to the varieties used on the various plants acted 

 upon. If the [slightest amount of impregnation has taken place 

 from the original pollen of the female used as the seed produce, 

 there is no chance of success, the greatest care is necessary to pre- 

 vent this and to cause a complete amalgamation of properties. It 

 would be advisable to remove all the other flowers from the im- 

 pregnative plant, but such as have been manipulated upon, so that 

 every chance towards the production of a robust habit, and good 

 seed, may be given, success may not be the invariable rule, though 

 it is very likely to be obtained in a few cases, probably one or two 

 good crosses-* in one thousand plants, produced. 

 Vol. xx. o, s. Vol. yi. n. s. 



