III. 



CROSS-FERTILIZATION OF LOBELIA SYPHILITICA. 



BY C. L. PAYNE. 



The methods of bringing about cross-fertihzation are very numer- 

 ous. But it has been observed that the methods of fertilization con- 

 form to a few leading principles and types. And according to these 

 principles the methods of cross fertiHzation may be divided into class- 

 es. The various modifications m the orders, genera, and species un- 

 der these leading classes are only different applications of these princi- 

 ples and different methods of conforming to them. Thus we have the 

 principle, that open flowers can be fertilized by the wind, and accord- 

 ing to this principle we have a large number of plants, whose flowers 

 are completely exposed to the wind. But in other respects the flow- 

 ers may vary to suit the habits and circumstances of the several plants. 

 Again, there is a principle, that melliferous plants attract insects and 

 can make them the agents of cross-fertilization by adapting their con- 

 trivances for fertilization to them. These two principles are sometimes 

 combined, and such plants have two chances for bringing about cross- 

 fertilization. Here, also, there are many modifications. There are 

 many other principles with contrivances adaj)ted to them. A classifi- 

 cation based upon these principles, it seems, would be as convenient 

 as the general classification of plants. Ihit of coujse it is hard to find 

 a suitable principle of division. Hildebrand has made a very excel- 



