Now, each anther is tucked away in one of
the ten little pockets of the saucer-shaped blossom, and the
elastic filaments are strained upward like a bow. After hovering
above the nectary, the bee has only to descend toward it, when
her leg, touching against one of the hair-triggers of the spring
trap, pop goes the little anther-gun, discharging pollen from its
bores as it flies upward. So delicately is the mechanism
adjusted, the slightest jar or rough handling releases the
anthers; but, on the other hand, should insects be excluded by a
net stretched over the plant, the flowers will fall off and
wither without firing off their pollen-charged guns. At least,
this is true in the great majority of tests. As in the case of
hothouse flowers no fertile seed is set when nets keep away the
laurel's benefactors. One has only to touch the hair-trigger with
the end of a pin to see how exquisitely delicate is this
provision for cross-fertilization.
However much we may be cautioned by the apiculturalists against
honey made from laurel nectar, the bees themselves ignore all
warnings and apparently without evil results - happily for
flowers dependent upon them and their kin.
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