HARRIS AND KUCHS : OBSERVATIONS ON POLLINATION. 39 



the plants were not nearly so crowded, only four produced fewer 

 than five seed pods, and there was a general average of 18.7 

 pods per plant. 



On the first foot of ground, then, there might be produced in 

 the neighborhood of 1300 seeds ; on the second, 2600. The large 

 Solatium upon which 40,000 seeds were estimated would prob- 

 ably cover an area of 12.5 square feet, giving 3200 seeds per 

 square foot. Of course, these figures represent only certain iso- 

 lated cases, which in a way are typical, but must not be taken 

 to represent the average condition. 



The largest plant noted September 4 had produced 100 pods, 

 with an average of thirteen seeds per pod ; this plant might show 

 1300 seeds. 



Professor Todd discusses in his paper the occurrence of simi- 

 lar divergences from the typical form in other Solanacere and 

 Leguminosae, and tries to discover some hint as to their origin. 

 Lack of material for observation precludes any present discus- 

 sion of these points. 



The results of these observations may be briefly summarized 



as follows : 



Solanum rostratum. 



1. As Professor Todd observed, the numbers of right- and left- 

 handed flowers on a plant of any considerable size are about 

 equal. 



2. As a general rule, only one flower opens at a time on a 

 raceme, but very commonly two will open on the raceme the 

 same morning, giving a right- and left-handed flower opening 

 simultaneously, and thus permitting in a considerable number 

 of cases pollination between flowers on the same raceme, even if 

 Professor Todd's theory of the method of pollination be the 

 correct one. 



3. Even on the smaller branches of the plant, the flowers are 

 almost always approximately divided into the two types. 



4. The flower has a distinct odor. 



5. Various species of insects visit the flowers for pollen. 

 Many insects secure pollen without effecting pollination. 



6. In a rather hasty microscopic examination, no very appar- 

 ent difference was detected between the pollen from large and 

 small stamens. 



7. A very important function of the observed arrangement of 



