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then seeds would mature, but a careful examination of a large 
amount of material failed to show such mature seeds. It is also 
possible that the peculiar structure of the stigma makes it impos- 
sible for the commion insects which visit the plant to produce pol- 
lination, and that the peculiar insect developed along with the 
plant was left behind when it was brought from Europe. . To one 
familiar with the peculiar readiness with which the plant propa- 
gates from the root, or even the smallest fraction of it, the absence 
of seeds capable of germination is not a great surprise, for the 
plant is well protected against extermination in this way. 
The root, so called, has many of the characteristics of a rhizoma 
and develops buds and leaves from any part that is exposed to 
the light, or whenever the plant needs an increase of leaf surface. 
If all parts of the plant except the tips of the roots are destroyed 
each one of these tips may become one or more plants. If the 
root be placed on top of the ground it soon becomes green on the 
upper side at least, and clusters of leaves and rootlets appear. 
Oftentimes horizontal branches at some distance below the sur- 
face will send up vertical branches having small scales at regular 
intervals in place of leaves, thus forming a vertical rootstock. In 
one of a series of experiments undertaken to test the possibilities 
of the plant in this direction, thirteen pieces of the smaller parts 
of a root were taken, varying from five to nine mm. in diameter 
and cut into irregular lengths, varying from six mm. to three cm. 
These were placed in a tightly covered fruit jar, containing a little 
moisture and left exposed to the light for two weeks or a little 
longer. At the end of that time twelve of the pieces had green 
sprouts from one mm. to seven cm. long, measuring the longest 
leaf, besides numerous rootlets, growing from the points where the 
buds started out. One piece twenty-five mm. long had eleven 
well defined buds and sprouts on it, but no rootlets. To one piece 
a small fibrous branch was attached, and it also bore a vigorous 
sprout. At the present writing, more than two months after the | 
fragments of root were placed in the jar, the plants which sprung : 
from them are still alive, although the parent roots have rotted. haa 
Each of the plantlets has a short thick base, almost like a bulb, 
which is green in color and shows the scars of leaves which have 
fallen. In structure and position this part of the plantlet is identi- 
