158 



Journal of Agricultural Research 



Vol. XVII, No. 4 



number of seeds developed from a compound ovary is dependent upon 

 a set of external, casual factors, such as amount or variability of pollen, 

 conditions under which pollination occurs, and access of the mother plant 

 to suitable supplies of nutriment. On the other hand, the number of 

 flowers produced on an inflorescence may be more largely predetermined 

 in the mother plant by such internal factors as those which determine 

 the position and arrangement of leaves and others which act to produce 

 generic and specific characters. 



The study of the inflorescence may be carried a step further by attempt- 

 ing to determine whether the larger inflorescences were more character- 

 istic of one season than of another. If so, it might show whether the 

 size of the inflorescence is in any way influenced by seasonal conditions. 

 Data for 403 inflorescences were available and represented a fair random 

 sample as far as seasonable distribution is concerned. Table IV shows 

 the correlation between the average number of new inflorescences on the 

 seven trees and the average number of buds per inflorescence. It seemed 

 more nearly correct to make this sort of correlation than one between 

 months of the year and number of buds per inflorescence, since it eliminates 

 irregular regression due to periodicity, leaving numbers of buds as the 

 two factors for correlation. 



Table IV. — Correlation between monthly average size of inflorescence and numbers of 



inflorescences produced 



Average size of inflorescence (number of buds) 



o 9 



O 4< 



r=o.35i±o.i7i 



The average number of new inflorescences per month on the seven 

 trees ranged from 2 to 170; the average size by months ranged from i.i 

 buds to 5.4 buds. The coefflcient of correlation between these factors 

 is 0.351 ±0.171. Since the coefficient is only twice its probable error 

 we must regard it as rather doubtful in indicating a correlation between 

 these factors. It may be taken, however, to indicate that larger inflores- 

 cences were more abundant in seasons in which the number of new buds 



