EXPERIMENT STATIOX REPORT. 327 



white papfcT, two inches long, near tlie middle of the picture and 

 just below the head without ray flowers. In the next row above 

 this and two heads to the left, isi a sample from a plant upon which 

 the heads were with the ray flowers all tubular; that is, like the 

 small yellow central flowers in form, but much larger and of the 

 white color of the ordinary ray floAvers. Space does not permit 

 of a detailed account of the many variations that the reader may 

 notice by a careful study of the plate. Plants of some of the most 

 showy forms have been grown for years in the ornamental grounds 

 with a view of studying the efl'ect of clean culture upon the more 

 showy portions of the plant. 



NUMERICAL STUDY OF THE SEED VESSELS OF THE VELVET-LEAF. 



Last year some attention was paid to the variation of the seed 

 vessels in the "velvet-leaf" (Ahutelon Ahutelon. L.), and the re- 

 sults pointed toward the opinion that environment (soil, water, 

 &c.) had an influence in this regard. During the past season some 

 observations have been made upon the relation of position upon 

 the plant to the number of seed vessels. 



The Ahutelon in favorable situations forms plants that are re^ 

 markable for their long lateral stems, so that the spread of the 

 branches nearly equals a half of- the height of the whole plant, 

 making the general outline an oval. Associated Avith each main 

 branch is a, small one remaining small, short and terminated with a 

 flower, followed by the peculiar capsule called "butter-print" be- 

 cause of the circular arrangement of the man}^ seed vessels. It is 

 the number and size of those vessels that is herein considered. 

 Upon large plants, above described, the fruits borne close upon the 

 nuiin stem and the largest of all have the greatest number of 

 the seed cavities ; in Plate XXV. the fniit shown at the upper 

 right-hand corner is one of these. At the opposite end of the same 

 row is a sample of the fruits produced at the ends of the main 

 branches, while the intermediates produced at intervals along the 

 branches are shown at 2, 3 and 4. The second row show the fruits 

 reversed as to size, and in the third row the basal end is upper- 

 most and the seed vessels observed from below are seen to range 

 from 11 to 15. In some instances the series is extended somewhat 

 as was shown in the engraving in the last report. 



