70 THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 



leaves. The normal ovary is three lobed with a single 

 style, but in the abnormal flowers this was lengthened in- 

 to a three lobed column with three leaf-like tips, showing 

 that the ovarvis really three pistils consolidated into one. 

 The stamens were the only parts of the flowers that did 

 not become leaflike. It is also of great interest to note 

 that the sepals did not form the usual spur and that the 

 whole flower was nearh^ regular, from which it maybe in- 

 ferred that the slight irregularity in normal flowers is of 

 comparatively recent appearance. 



CAN SQUASHES AND PUMPKINS BE FED ON MILK? 



BY EDWARD F. BIGELOW. 



"nature and science" editor of the ST. NICHOLAS MAGAZINE. 



n^HE question, "Can squashes and pumpkins be fed on 

 -L milk ?" was asked me a few weeks ago. The inquirer 

 explained that the method alleged was to cut a hole' in 

 the top of the half grown squash and everj^ day pour in 

 all the milk that the squash would hold. At first thought, 

 recalling statements as to this method of forcing abnor- 

 mally large squashes or pumpkins, that I had often heard 

 alleged in boyhood days on a Connecticut farm, I replied 

 to the question, "Yes. It's some trouble and expense but 

 the result is an astonishingly large squash or pumpkin. I 

 have often ." 



But right there I stopped and thought. Have I ever 

 seen the process or results of a squash or pumpkin so fed ? 

 No I haven't, nor upon further thought, have I known a 

 person who had positively seen it done. But I have heard 

 many farmers and others state that it can be and is done. 

 *'Why, of course, everybody knows it!" Since that ques- 

 tion was asked me I have made extensive inquiries, per- 

 sonally and by letters, of farmers, botanists, colleges of 

 agriculture and of others. The astonishing result is that 

 over ninty per cent, of all of whom I have inquired, have 

 "known that this can be done." 



M3Mnquiries revealed a knowledge of the subject close- 

 ly parallel to that of evolution as ascribed by Grant Allen : 



