G EXPERIMENTS IN THE HYBRIDISING OF INDIAN COTTONS. 
was found almost impossible to remove grains from the stigma 
without injuring its receptiveness. 
To emasculate a flower, the bracteoles and petals were first 
removed before the latter had opened, and the anthers cut off 
with a pair of fine pointed scissors, beginning from above and_ 
working downwards, so as to prevent them touching the stigma. 
It was then pollinated from some other plant and covered with a 
sinall paper bag, about 3 inches long and one inch wide, and a small 
label was attached to the flower-stalk, with the registered number. 
If not pollinated immediately it was covered and labelled and 
crossed later on in the day with pollen from a previously covered 
flower, and again covered with the paper bag. The number of the 
cross and of the parents were entered both on the label and in a 
book. My first pollinations were made in the mornings, but as the 
pollen did not then adhere well, I often left them till the afternoon. 
The weather appears to exert a decided influence on the 
germination or fertility of the pollen grains. In the following 
table are given the numbers of cross-pollinations made, and of 
ripe bolls obtained from them, together with the average per- 
centage of cloud in the sky, as determined at the Madras 
Observatory for the periods stated :— 
Tase I. 
Number of 
Periods...... . days ending. pollinated Spe ee of ye Average 
4 : olls, ° cloud, 
| styles. 
| rs Bt iat - 
5 days to Nov. D2 Fi 17 2 12 40 
Do. do. yee 34 5 14:7 53 
Do. do. 22) eine a -— -— 30 
—— do. Pale. ao ai 35 12 34 09 
5 days to do. 20" #5. 77 21 27:2 29 
Do. Dec. «are? 20 3 15 72 
Do. do. 9 6 1 16°6 49 
Do. do. iC 2 6 PALS: 37 
Do. do. ol EU es 15 1 65 na" 
Do. do. APS oo _— — = 
Do. do. OOF: 8 1 | 12°5 40) 
That fine bright days are the best for setting of Howers, is, 
[ believe, the experience of gardeners, and these figures amply 
* Rain fell on the 18th to 21st, 
