statistical Information Concerning the Pro- 

 duction of Fruits and 5eeds in 

 Certain Plants. 



By John W. Harshberger, Ph. D. 



DURING several summers as opportunity presented, the 

 following statistical observations were made, in order 

 to determine what the successful termination of the 

 act of fertiHzation really was. Most botanists claim, that the 

 association of flowers together in heads, umbels, spikes and 

 other compact inflorescences with the attractive parts attached, 

 renders the act of pollination more certain. The produc- 

 tion of seeds is thereby insured and the perpetuation of the 

 species accomplished. The regnant natural orders are those 

 which include plants that have such mechanical and physio- 

 logical devices as to insure the production of a large number 

 of good seeds from any one plant. These facts have been 

 widely accepted, and no doubt are true in the main, but there 

 are facts which lead us at times to believe that in some cases 

 the theories generally advanced are unsound. 



The following statistics are presented as in part a contribu- 

 tion to this subject: It is to be regretted that all of the 

 factors which influenced the growth of the plants in the open 

 could not have been taken into account. For example, the 

 weather materially influences seed production, the position of 

 the plants whether growing under shade, or in the bright sun- 

 light should have been taken into account, the insect visitors 

 ought also to have been enumerated. Still the writer believes 

 that the tables possess considerable value, even as a mere 

 enumeration of the ratio of perfect to abortive seeds produced. 



Ariscema triphylbim, Torn (Indian Turnip). — The racemose 



lOO 



