
390 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [NOVEMBER 

An diesem Grunde darf ich auch nicht positiv behaupten, dass zurnormalen 
Keimentwicklung stets Befruchtung notwendig ist, wenn auch alle sonstigen — 
Tatsachen und die Beobachtungen an Pflanzen im Freien kienen Zweifel 
dariiber lassen, dass Befruchtung stattfinden kann, wenn das Ei die reduzierte 
Zahl der Chromosomen fiihrt. 
In Atamosco I have been able to settle this question beyond a 
doubt I think; for about 30 cases of an egg dividing with the sperm 
inactive although in contact, or nearly so, with the egg nucleus 
were examined. The sperm gradually disintegrates (figs. 18, 
21-24, 27) and evidently the egg is incapable of fusing with the 
sperm, the latter being perfectly normal in every way so far as 
appearances go, for the sperm had the haploid number of chromo- 
somes, and the pollen seemed entirely normal, and pollen tubes 
enter the sac in the usual way. The other sperm does fuse with 
the polars either before or after their fusion. This would seem to 
show that the triple fusion is not of the same character as that 
which takes place when the sperm and egg fuse. So Atamosco seems 
to prove STRASBURGER’s theory that the diploid egg is incapable 
of fertilization. 
On the completion of the work, I reported to Professor STRAS- 
BURGER what I had found, and in his reply, received February 25, 
1912, he says: 
Die Schwerpunk Ihrer Arbeit wird darin liegen, dass der Eikern, weil er 
doppeltchromosomig ist, die Aufnahme dem Spermakern versagt, ungeachtet 
die tibrigen Einrichtungen bei der Pflanze fortbestehen, die den Spermakern 
bis in das apogame Ei hineinfiihren. 
Summary 
t. The pollen is normal. The haploid number of chromosomes 
is 12. 
2. The third division in the embryo sac shows the diploid_num- 
ber of chromosomes to be 24. 
3. Usually the ordinary 8-nucleate sac is organized, but occa 
sionally antipodals organize in the micropylar end and the eggs 
apparatus at the side of the sac, sometimes more than one egg 
organizing, 
4. Two male nuclei come into the sac with the pollen tube, 
one 

