FERTILISATION OF FRUIT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 5 November 1930, Page 7

FERTILISATION OF FRUIT

ADDRESS TO GROWERS Tlio following paper on pollination and fertilisation was read by Mr F. W, Cone at a meeting of tlio Canterbury Fruitgrowers’ Association on Saturday evening. Tlio llowcr must bo fertilised in order to be (be reproductive organ of the plant. A bud or scion may bo established in a new individual, but this is merely a part of tlio parent growing independently in a diiferont place, without a break in the continuity of life. The bud does not die, but (lie seed must dio in order to produce. Each fimo there is reproduction through the seed an absolutely new start is made and the young plant is a new generation. 1 here cannot be a perfect fruit or seed without pollination and fertilisation. Buds aro formed in summer, and much of the sap that is elaborated in the leaves is used by these buds and material made to produce the bloom the following spring. If. after the flower has opened there should bo a cold snap, it will in most cases drop off the trees; or if thero is continuous rain the llower will decompose. A tree when in flower is said to put on its bridal dress. The beautiful colours, pink and whito, attract moths, butterflies, bees and other insects, visit flowers for food, either nectar alone (as in the case of moths and butterflies), or nectar and pollen (which the bees seek). In overy instance it is the size, shape, colour or perfumo of the flower that indicates where tlio food is to be found. It has been proved that bees continue to visit the same kind of flowers, while the tree is in bloom; that is to say, a heo that is working an apple blossom will not go to any other kind of flower. All fruit tree blossoms have ono or moro stigmas; the stosne fruit blossom has one, the apple blossom has five, corresponding to the five parts of the core. These stigmas are on the end of fino styles, which branch off from the pistil at tlio base of the flower. Thero are twenty stamens placed around the five stigmas. On the end of each stamen is a little sac or pod, containing pollen. These are called anthers and may be styled males; the stigmas are tlio females. Theso pods burst when tlio pollen is ripe. In nearly all fruit blossoms the stigma is not .ready to receive tlio pollen of tlio same flower when it is ripe. This is ono of nature’s ways of preventing self-pollination. Here is an instance that will provo this contention. On a farm there were two large pear trees. Each blossomed well, but one had a good crop every year-, the other hardly any. This went on for several years, the farmer always hoping both would eventually crop. At last ho cut the unfruitful tree down. Next year the tree that always had a good crop had hardly any fruit. The owner (as a joke) said the tree was pining for his lost mate. How near the truth ho was lie did not realise. The non-fruitful tree had been supplying the pollen to cross fertilise the good bearer.

The nectar is placed around the pistii and inside the stamen, so that when the bee visits the flower for nectar lie walks over the stigma. If the stigma is ready, some of the pollen which the bee carries will stick on to it. It is dissolved, whicli enables it to germinate, and then is sucked down to the ovary, which is fertilised. _ , In the apple blossom the ovary is divided into five parts, each containing two ovules, which are the embryo pips. The apple does not always contain ten pips, as sometimes the pollination has not been, sufficiently complete.