Mr. B. Clarke on the Production of Monstrous Flowers. 341 



^- XXXIV. — On the Production of Varieties and Monstrous Flowers 



hy Pruning. By B. Clarke^ F.L.S., &c. 



As the varieties of species are attracting increased attention, 

 and the circumstances in which they originate are becoming 

 more particularly attended to, the following notes on the effects 

 of increased luxuriance from pruning, and especially on the seed, 

 may perhaps assist in throwing further light on this department 

 of vegetable physiology, as making it, I believe, sufficiently evi- 

 dent that varieties, and not improbably improved varieties, could 

 be produced, at least in some instances, by placing a plant in 

 peculiar circumstances during the period of flowering. 



Having cultivated female specimens of the variety of Hemp 

 known as Cannabis indica, for the purpose of inquiring into the 

 truth of the report that seeds could be produced without the 

 fertilizing influence of pollen, and apparently with success, as 

 a few seeds came to perfection*, a specimen of the common 

 variety was grown, to further substantiate, if possible, the result 

 of the trial with the C. indica. 



It was raised so early as to be in flower in the last week of 

 June, but, unlike the C. indica, the first flowers produced no 

 seed, although the plant was growing much more luxuriantly. 

 The upper portion of the stem was then cut off, for the purpose 

 of giving to the remaining masses of flowers an increased supply 

 of sap ; but this also failed, except that three or four fruits were 

 observed growing on the main stem, the masses of inflorescence 

 remaining quite barren, although the remaining foliage had 

 acquired a deep and very luxuriant green. The experiment was 

 then continued by cutting off each fresh shoot as soon as it 

 appeared ; but it bore no more seed till about the latter end of 

 August, and then twelve or fifteen were observed in the outer 

 portions of the masses of inflorescence. 



The following spring these seeds were planted ; but, as some 



* Two plants of this variety were raised late in summer, and flowering 

 in the autumn, proved to be both females ; they produced two seeds each 

 from the first pairs of flowers, some time after the male plants usually have 

 ceased flowering ; neither was Hemp known to grow in the neighbourhood. 

 These were planted early in the following spring, and proved to be all 

 female plants, which in some degree confirmed the supposition that they 

 were produced without the aid of pollen. Two or three of them produced 

 seeds from the first flowers as before, and then remained barren until some 

 male plants of the common variety, which had been sown later, came into 

 flower, and they then fruited abundantly. One of them, however, which 

 which was quite as strong or rather stronger than the others, and covered 

 with flowers, bore no seed, although masses of male flowers were repeatedly 

 placed upon it ; but as its ovules appeared to be perfect, as in the other 

 plants, its barrenness was thought to be the consequence of the seed from 

 which it had been raised having been produced without the aid of pollen. 



