18G7.] 
181 
AMERICAN ACIRIC UI/PURIST. 
FI5. 1,—FEKFECT FLOWEllS. 
(lie organs that are to become the fruit, and sta¬ 
mens, the f‘ rtilizing organs, in the same flower. 
Other plants constantly have their stamens and 
pistils ill sejiarate flowci-s of the same plant, as 
the cucumber, squash, and all of that family— 
and the Indian corn, in which the tassel con¬ 
tains the stamens, and the ear the pistils, the 
of them will enable any one to tell a perfect_ 
or hermaphrodite, as it is often called—from a 
pistillate flower. In fig. 1, the small knob in the 
center is the pistils, which are surrounded by 
numerous stamens. The same flower is shown 
in figure 2, as cut down through the 
center. The conical elevation in the 
center of this cut flower is the enlarged 
end of the stem of the flower, on which 
the pistils are placed, this is called the 
receptacle. The stamens are arranged 
around this, and outside of these the 
showy parts of the flower, the petals and 
calyx. As the pistils ripen, to produce 
the fruit proper —seeds we usually call 
them—the receptacle enlarges, becoming 
often of enormous size compared to what 
it was in the flower, and very often 
inclosing the seed-like fruits in deep 
pits or cavities, while in other cases 
these remain upon the surface. In several 
cultivated varieties of the strawberry, the 
stamens are altogether wanting, as in 
fig. 3, and then the plant is said to be 
pistillate. It is evident that plants of 
this character need the help of those 
that produce stamens. The general ten¬ 
dency of strawberry cultivators is to dis¬ 
card pistillate sorts altogether, though 
there are a very few, like llovey’s Seed¬ 
ling, that in some localities are so excel¬ 
lent and productive, that it is desirable to 
grow them. Where this is the case, it 
is only necessary to plant adjacent beds 
of some perfect variety that blossoms at 
the same time, and the insects and winds 
will look after the fertilization. When 
a perfect variety is planted to fertilize 
a pistillate or imperfect one, great care 
should be taken to prevent the runners of 
one bed reaching across into the other bed. 
It is from carelessness in this respect, that there 
is so much confusion in regard to varieties, 
and this has also given rise to the common 
belief that pistillate plants become changed 
when fertilized by another sort. While we are 
not prepared to assert that the flavor of a pis¬ 
tillate sort may not be modified somewhat, ac¬ 
cording to the variety by which it was fertilized, 
yet we have no proof that the plant itself under¬ 
goes any change. To answer many inquiries, 
Ave may say that, practically, as fixr as the value 
of the fruit is concerned, strawberries in prox¬ 
imity do not mix. As regards the seeds, the 
case is different; here the crossing is the rule 
rather than the exception. And this is apt to 
take place even with perfect flowers, as insects 
Fig. 3 .—PISTILLATE FLOAVER. 
■ will often bring pollen and fertilize the pistils 
of a floAver, before its OAvn pollen is ready. 
The Silver-Striped Bamboo. 
The name Bamboo is associated Avilh the 
gigantic trojiicnl and subtropical grasses, the 
stems of Avhich grow 50 feet or more high, and 
are celebmted for their gcnenil use by 
the Orientals, to Avhom they servo for 
everything from a penholder to a mast. 
There are, however, some A'cry humble 
bamboos, and at least one hardy one. 
Bambusa Metake. This is a Japanese 
species, tAvo or three feet high, and en¬ 
dured the Avinter Avith us several de¬ 
grees north of NeAA' York Citj'. Re¬ 
cently "Mr. E, Bauman, Florist and Land¬ 
scape Gardener at Ralnvay, N. J., has 
brought to our notice a still more dAvarf 
species, Avhich luis been introduced by 
the Euroi>ean florists under the name of 
BambuM. Fortunii alba vittata. The en¬ 
graving is made from a pot plant, of the 
natural size. From the abundance of 
buds at the base it is no doubt a vigor¬ 
ous grower, and is said to continue 
dwarf and stocky and not exceed about 
a foot in bight. Should this prove hardy, 
as Mr. Bauman thinks it Avill, it Avill be 
a valuable addition to our “foliage plants” 
of Avhich Ave noAv have a great number, 
Avith but few’ hardy ones. The leaves 
are very distinctly marked, both the 
green and the Avhite stripes being clear. 
The jilant is apparently Avell adapted 
to form edgings in decorative planting, 
and a single plant Avould prove A’ery or¬ 
namental in the border. A variety w’ith 
green and yelloAV stripes is noticed in 
Europe, and either this, or the one under 
notice, is advertised as Bambusa Japan- 
ica variegnta. There is much confusion in flo¬ 
rists’ names, Imth in this country and Europe. 
The Sex of the Strawberry. 
From the fact that there are some varieties of 
straAvberry, Avhich, being pistillate, require the 
presence of some other sort to make them fruit¬ 
ful, ra.any suppose that it is necessary in all cases 
to plant two kinds in order to bear fruit. We 
have several letters asking what variety should 
be planted Avilh the Triomplie do Gand and 
other sorts that will fruit without aid. As this 
matter of the sex of strawberries has been 
muddled so much, Ave will try to make it plain. 
The great majority of flowers A\-ith Avhich we 
are familiar, arc perfect, i. c., have both pistils. 
silat:r-striped bamboo. 
elongated portion of Avhich is tlie silk. In still 
another set of plants the flowers of one will 
bear pistils only, and the flowers of another will 
produce nothing but stamens. The hemp, hop, 
and willows are common instances of plants 
of this kind. Tlie pistils, in each one of 
these classes are the portions that become fruit. 
Fig. 2.— SECTION OF FLOAA’ER, 
but they only do this after they have received 
the influence of the pollen, a fine dust produced 
by the stamens. The pistils of perfect floAvers, 
that have both stamens and pistils, may readily 
become fertilized by the pollen of the same flow¬ 
er, Avhile in separated flowers, those in Avhich 
the stamens are in one and the pistils are in 
another, no fruit will be produced unless pollen 
is brought to the pistils by some agency, such as 
insects or Avinds, from a staminate one. Some 
plants that ordinarily produce perfect floAvers do 
sometimes have separated ones, the stamens and 
sometimes the pistils being suppressed or abor¬ 
tive, Avhen the floAver becomes pistillate or stami- 
natc as the case may be. This happens in both the 
wild and the cultivated state Avith the straAvberry 
and Avith the grape. In the straAvberry it is usual¬ 
ly the stamens that are wanting, and in the grape 
it is more common to have the pistils absent, if 
either one. The engravings (figs. 1,2,3), of straAv¬ 
berry floAvers, veiy much enlarged, prepared for 
Fuller’s Small Fruit Culturist, shoAV the different 
parts quite distinctly, and a careful inspection 
