206 



On the Pollen of CarJca Papaya. 



The followiiiu" noteii ou tlie flowers of tlie Papaya (Carica 

 papaya) are compiled from the oliservations of some ])laiits pTowii 

 in the Economic Gardens, Sin>ia]3ore. 



An examination of the pollen of different types of flowers 

 showed a considerahle difference in the o-ermination of the pollen 

 grains Imt unfortunately, owing to thefts of fi'uit the ultimate 

 resu'lts of tlic work could not be observed. 



Pollen from foui- different types of flowers was examined. 

 1. Flowers with ten stamens from dioecious plants. 2. Flowers 

 with ten stamens from plants liearing both male and hermaphrodite 

 flowers. ',]. Flowers with five stamens from liernia])hrodite ]jlants. 

 4. Flowers with ten stamens from hermaphrodite plants. Flowers 

 with the number of stamens \arying between five and ten were 

 omitted. 



In all cases the pollen grains appeared to l)e identical. When 

 dry the germ s})ore is not visible luit when the grain has heen soaked 

 in water it swells up, fiecomes turgid, and the germ spore can be 

 distinctly seen. 



To ascertain if there was anv difference in the time taken for 

 the pollen from the four different types of flowers to germinate, 

 pollen grains were cultivated in a sucrose gelatine medium in a 

 hanging droj) (ulture. 



In the first experiment pollen from the first and second tvpes 

 of flowers mentioned above beliaved practically the same, all the 

 grains germinating and growing well. Similarly the pollen from 

 the third and fourth types of flowers l)eliaved almost identically 

 but they botli germinated several hours latei' tliaii those of the 

 flrst two ty]3es. 



A second exi)eriment M'as conducted using pollen from the first 

 two types of flowers only, when it was found tiiat pollen of the 

 first type germinated half an hour before that of the second type. 



The deductions to be drawn from these records so far as they 

 effect pollination are not at present quite evident, and require fur- 

 ther observations to be carried out. 



G. B. Deshmukii. 



Some Trials of Food-plants in the Economic 

 Gardens, Singapore. 



Ragi ("Eleusine Coracana") 



In the SiiH/iijiorc Free Press of 2ord ()ctol)er, will be found 

 a short account of this plot, of the method of cultivation followed, 

 alid an estimate of the yield of seed expected. 



Briefly, this plot of 39<S0 sfpiare feet or say, one eleventh ]jart 

 of one acre, was stocked with 2675 seedlings transplanted on the 

 20th July from a nursery B'oyni on the 29th June, The plot was 

 divided into 18 beds, and the planting was all done on these raised 

 beds at 12 by 12 inches. 



