280 The Ohio Journal of Science [Vol. XVII, No. 8, 



In the paper by Daniel the supposed hybrid, indicating 

 its hybridity in xenia, is planted and sprouts. At the critical 

 point, one reads " malhereusement le jardinier, " etc., etc. 

 But there is no need to know what misfortunes befell the luck- 

 less gardener. Xenia could not occur in this case because 

 neither the walnut nor the hazelnut kernel contain any endo- 

 sperm. This case has a superficial resemblance to xenia, but 

 is simply the inheritance of dominant characters in a hybrid, if 

 indeed a hybrid kernel was really formed. It is like a cross 

 between yellow and green peas in which the color of the coty- 

 ledons (embryo tissue) shows through the pericarp. 



An anonymous discussion of the effect of the male bird on 

 the color of the shell of the eggs of fowls and of canaries is to be 

 found in the May, 1915, number of the Journal of Heredity. 

 This discussion is interesting and no objection would be made 

 "to it if the wording of the title were similar to that suggested 

 'above. But with xenia dependent upon triple fusion for its 

 occurrence, calling any influence of the male bird, however 

 remarkable, by the name of xenia is unthinkable. 



Many plants, if no pollination takes place, develop a cleavage 

 plane which cuts off not only the old flower, but frequently a 

 portion of the stem also to a considerable distance away from 

 the region of the fertilization. If pollination is successful, no 

 abscission layer forms. The life processes continue in the 

 stem which remains thick and green and capable of bearing 

 the weight of the fruit. One is compelled to consider therefore, 

 that the inheritance of the ability to form a cleavage plane 

 is inhibited by the developing zygote. There is an increasing 

 metabolism following fertilization. The ability to cut off one 

 portion of the plant from the rest is an older adaptation of the 

 individual plant than the ability to form fruits. It is resident 

 in the vegetative parts of the plant ; it is to be found in the lowest 

 orders. In apples and pears and many common fruits if 

 pollination is only partially instead of completely successful and 

 well formed seeds are not distributed evenly around the fruit, 

 there is a tendency towards flattening on the side where the 

 pollination was faulty. The writer will gladly show the 

 development of the cleavage plane as exhibited by the common 

 morning glory, Ipomoea purpurea, to anyone interested. 

 The examples were obtained by removing the styles from 

 unopened flowers. The flowers opened normally and remained 



