CRITICAL TEMPERATURES FOR PHYTOLACCA 



123 



ordinary conditions. Usually the first inflorescence remains 

 with its flowers unopened but alive for weeks, attaining only 

 small size. Flowers have however been seen to open, and the 

 inflorescence to develop into fair length, on stems which had been 

 accidentally prostrated, evidently as a result of the higher tem- 

 peratures near the soil surface. Only during the past summer 

 did flowers in this situation succeed in setting seed. It seems 

 evident that the prevailing fog-day temperatures, acting as a 

 limiting factor, are responsible, since when they are slightly 



TABLE 1 



Temperatures for ten weeks (July 3 to September 10 inclusive), 1916 



raised fruit is developed more or less normally, in spite of the 

 low" night temperatures and cold soil. The following exceptions 

 in the general behavior of the plant support this view. 



Plants grown within a small glass shelter produced an abun- 

 dance of fruit quite normal in every detail. The seed was used 

 for propagation, and gave practically perfect germination. 

 About 200 large plants were grown therefrom during 1915-16, 

 none of which set seed, excepting only two plants, to be pres- 

 ently discussed, though inflorescences (but not open flowers) 

 were produced in abundance. The temperature within the glass 



