[AC] Vide Part I. [Chap. 28].

[AD] Vide Part I. [Chap. 5].

[CHAPTER XXXVI.]

POLLEN.

Pollen and Farina, in the language of Botanists, are terms applied to the powdery particles discharged by the anthers of flowers in warm dry weather, and which hang about the stamina. The colour, as well as the structure of pollen, varies in different plants. Its use, in fecundating the germens of flowers, is well known: the services of bees, towards that end, will be noticed in a separate chapter. The sixth volume of the Linnæan Transactions contains an interesting paper upon this substance, from the pen of Mr. Luke Howard.

Pollen has a capsular structure, varying its shape in different flowers, insomuch as to be a popular object for the microscope. Each grain consists commonly of a membranous bag, which, when it has come to maturity, bursts on the application of moisture: this bursting is naturally effected by the honey-like exudation of the stigma; but if extraneous moisture accomplish it prematurely, the pollen is rendered useless for the purpose of fructification. Whenever moistened, the bag explodes with great force, and discharges a subtle vapour or essence, which, when released by the peculiar moisture of the stigma, performs effectually its final purpose.

This substance was once erroneously supposed to be the prime constituent of wax; but the experiments of Hunter and Huber have proved that wax is a secretion from the bodies of wax-working bees[AE], and that the principal purpose of pollen is to nourish the embryo-bees; (it has been called the ambrosia of the hive). Huber was the first who suggested this idea, and it well accords with what we observe among other parts of the animal kingdom;—birds, for instance, feed their young with different food from what they take themselves. Mr. Hunter examined the stomachs of the maggot-bees, and found farina in all, but not a particle of honey in any of them. Huber considers the pollen as undergoing a peculiar elaboration in the stomachs of the nursing-bees, to be fitted for the nutriment of the larvæ.

[AE] Vide [Chap. XXXV].