350 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



developed. Twenty-five cucumber flowers were pollinated by musk-melon 

 pollen. Only one fruit developed, and that was seedless. These figures 

 certainly indicate that melons and cucumbers do not cross, and therefore 

 that the influence of one upon the other is fictitious. It has been sug- 

 gested by one who has followed this experiment that even if the cucum- 

 ber pollen will not fertilize the musk-melon, it may still exert a sort of 

 secondary influence if applied along with musk-melon pollen. But if 

 the cucumber pollen does not even possess the power of developing the 

 fruit walls, as our experiments show, it is inconceivable that it should exert 

 any influence whatever. The single seedless fruit of cucumber which 

 developed in the musk-melon pollinations, does not prove that musk- 

 melon pollen will cause the development of the fruit walls of the cucum- 

 ber, for our experiments have shown conclusively that cucumbers will 

 often develop to full size without any pollination whatever.* Those who 

 make experiments in the pollination of musk-melons must bear in mind 

 that some varieties bear perfect flowers, and the anthers must be removed 

 before the flower opens. 



Our experience indicates, therefore, that the common opinion that 

 cucumbers spoil musk-melons is, at least, exceedingly doubtful. 



5. Progression of flowers. — When I first began to cross the cucurbits I 

 noticed that all plants produce far more staminate than pistillate flowers, 

 and that the staminate flowers appear much earlier in the season than the 

 pistillate. A study of Hubbard and Boston Marrow squashes in 1887 

 showed that pistillate flowers rapidly decreased in numbers during a pro- 

 longed drouth. Kecords were also kept of the number and time of appear- 

 ing of the flowers of each sex in other cucurbits, but as those records 

 were not published, I have had similar ones made this year. All the 

 flowers were counted as they appeared upon two musk-melon plants, one 

 water-melon and one cucumber plant. These plants were all treated to 

 ordinary garden conditions; no pollinations were made upon them, and no 

 flowers were removed, so that their characteristics as 'recorded below are 

 . entirely normal. In forcing cucurbits in winter, such as cucumbers, 

 musk-melons, summer squashes, and benincasa, I have invariably noticed 

 this same disposition to form staminate flowers first and most abundantly. 



*The matter of cucumber pollination, together with notes upon the forcing of cucumbers, will form 

 the subject of a future bulletin. 



