ish, or cylindrical and pointed, two-celled at the base, partition
thin, bitter, seed deliciously sweet. Found native on the moist bottom
lands along streams from Indiana south to Kentucky and from Iowa south
to Texas, principally along the Mississippi and its tributaries, the
Colorado river in Texas, and along some of its tributaries into Mexico.

[Illustration: PLATE III. Pecan Flowers. Pistillate enlarged below.]

POLLINATION.

Since two kinds of flowers are produced on the pecan, one bearing the
pistils, the other stamens, the pollen must be transferred from the
latter to the former in order that pollination may take place. In many
plants the pollen is transferred from one plant or flower to another by
means of insects; but in the pecan there are no bright colors, no
nectar, no scent to attract insects to carry pollen, but, instead, the
wind is the carrying agent and it needs no attractions. Pollen is
produced in large quantities, necessarily so, since much of it is
wasted.

Unfavorable weather conditions at time of blooming may, however,
interfere seriously with pollination. Heavy winds or wind-storms, and
rains of several days duration, may prevent the necessary and desired
distribution of the pollen, as a result of which no fruit is formed.

Sometimes the staminate blooms are destroyed by frost while the
pistillate ones escape. It makes little difference which is destroyed,
however, as in either case the result is the same--no fruit sets.

The staminate flowers push out from the lateral buds at the same time
the new shoot develops from the terminal one. The pistillate blossom
does not appear until the terminal shoot has grown six or eight inches,
and in the meantime it is protected by the unfolded leaves. The
staminate bloom, on the contrary, is exposed from the first, having no
leaves to protect it. In consequence it is much more likely to be cut
off by frost. Dr. Trelease refers to several observations on proterandry
(maturing of the pollen before the stigmas of the pistils) in the pecan.
This, together with the unprotected condition of the staminate blooms,
we believe, accounts in a large measure for the non-setting of fruit on
the northern boundaries of the pecan area.

The artificial or hand pollination of the pecan is an easy matter and
offers an inviting field for those interested in plant breeding.
Emasculation, or the removal of the stamens from the flowers necessary
in breeding so many plants,