ON XENIA, 299 
variable character of the seed colour, my results are of no value. I have, 
however, repeated Darwin’s experiment of crossing the blue-podded pea on 
to an ordinary green-podded variety, but in none of the eight pods which 
resulted could I see any influence of the pollen-parent. 
In view of the great influence that premature ripening and other 
conditions of culture haye upon seed colour and the lack of any chemical 
or microscopical tests, judgment must be suspended as to the occurrence 
of xenia in peas until a more exact knowledge of the pigments in question 
is available. 
PEACHES AND NECTARINES. 
In the course of crossing these fruits I have made some between the 
white and yellow-fleshed varieties such as ‘ Pineapple’ nectarine (yellow) 
x ‘Elruge’ Nectarine (white), ‘Pitmaston Orange’ (yellow) x ‘ Elruge’ 
(white), ‘Sea Eagle’ peach (white) x ‘ Barrington’ peach (yellow). 
In none of the above was any influence visible to the unaided eye, but 
the seedlings which are growing now may give some signs of their hybrid 
origin. 
APPLES. 
In these fruits xenia had been often recorded, and in view of the fact 
that there is no doubt that all effects seen are true influences of the peri- 
carp, they offer a subject for experiment of peculiar interest. The case of 
the ‘St. Valery’ apple, mentioned by Darwin, which produced no pollen, 
but on beiug pollinated by other varieties gave fruits which resembled 
those of the male parent, will be well remembered. The case having thus 
been stated, it was but natural that corroborative evidence commenced to 
flow. My experiments, with one presumable exception, have so far failed 
to augment this stream. 
The varieties chosen differed much in size and colour. For differences 
of size and form the following were used :—‘ Stone’s’ (large) x ‘ Old 
Nonpareil’ (small russet), ‘Rosemary Russet’ (medium) x ‘ Stone’s,’ 
‘Rosemary Russet’ x ‘The Queen’ (large, flat), ‘Sturmer Pippin’ 
(small) x ‘The Queen.’ 
Differences of colour :—‘ Gloria Mundi’ (green) x ‘ Rosemary Russet, 
: see Mundi’ x ‘ Hoary Morning’ (distinct stripes), ‘Stone’s’ (green) 
x ‘ Hoary Morning,’ ‘Stone’s’ x ‘ Old Nonpareil.’ 
In all the above cases no change was seen, though the crossing of a 
russet skin with a smooth green would seem to offer an easy and exact 
method of detecting xenia. 
The only case in which any direct influence was seen was in the case 
of crossing a flower of ‘Sandringham Apple’ (large, faint stripes) with 
the pollen of ‘ Bismarck’ (bright, non-striped red). 
This fruit ripened and fell off three weeks before other uncrossed fruit 
on the tree, and was in shape and colour quite out of character, resembling 
a fine fruit of ‘Cox’s Orange.’ This case was reported in the Journ. 
R.H.S. vol. xxiv. part 4, p. 1899. 
This is the only case of presumable xenia I have ever seen. ‘The 
resulting seedlings are now growing. 
