260 Artificial Fecundation of Cereal and other Crops. 
female organ is ready to be impregnated before tlie pollen on the 
stamens is matured. Here, as in the animal kingdom, the female 
organ is the more precocious ; it is also the more susceptible of 
injury from rain, fog, frost, or insects, which may disturb the 
little honey-drop placed on its tip to receive the pollen and trans- 
mit it to the ovary — the seat of the embryo. If this drop have 
disappeared, the advent of the pollen can do no. good; 
The pollen, on the other hand, has such a hardy constitution 
that it may be kept for seven or eight years without losing its 
efficacy. 
To remedy, as far as possible, this risk of injury, the fringe 
used in the artificial process is moistened with honey, which is 
the same substance as this drop — for the bees collect, hut do not 
convert their store. 
The law of cross-breeding applies as well to cereals as to all 
other produce ; and the grain which is impregnated with pollen 
from a neighbouring ear is always finer than that which has 
received the pollen from the same ear. 
The following is a summary of the advantages to be derived 
from the artificial process : — 
1. The happiest moment is chosen for the fecundation, instead 
of waiting for a breeze, which may not approach till the pistil 
has been impaired. 
2. Whereas, in a state of nature, a good many ovaries are 
fecundated on the first day, on the second day not so many, on 
the third still fewer, and so on for a week or even ten days, by 
the artificial process, all that are ready are impregnated at once, 
and nearly all the rest (those to the north and west especially), 
within three or four days ; the grains therefore ripen, and are fit 
for harvesting together. 
3. Whereas, in the ordinary ear the grains are largest at the 
bottom, and diminish as they mount upwards, until the topmost 
spikelets are empty and unprofitable, " fecundation " makes all the 
grains equal in size from bottom to top, and on all four faces of 
the ear — all the spikelets are full, and the ear is as square as 
possible. 
4. The artificial process adds force and vigour to the whole 
plant. 
The Commission issued by M. Behec, Minister of Agricul- 
ture, included M. Payen, the famous chemist and philosopher ; 
M. Dailly, a practical agriculturist, member of the Central 
Society of Agriculture ; M. Lefour, the late President of the 
International Exhibition at Lille; with M. Simon, Chief Secre- 
tary to the Minister. 
Three Commissioners visited Sillery on the 24th of July, and 
in their presence trial plots of 4 rods each of wheat and rye 
