288 NEW JERSEY AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE 



PLANT I developed into a large plant. As soon as the roots 

 began to fill the original box, that was set into a larger flat box 

 also filled with rich soil, the roots penetrating through cracks. The 

 object was to see if by the most careful treatment this plant 

 could be induced to produce more of the fasciated fruits. In 

 early winter many flowers appeared with six to ten petals, and 

 then some with many petals and fasciated pistils. It was soon 

 found that such fasciated flowers did not readily close-fertilize, 

 on account of a lack of pollen, and most of the early ones 

 dropped off, as there were no insects in the house. The later 

 ones were therefore hand fertilized by pollen from other flowers 

 of the same plant. 



Besides 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-celled, and fasciated fruits this plant also 

 produced a number of small 2- and 3-celled fruits which were 

 outwardly distinguished by a lighter purplish color and a white 

 area around the tip oi the fruit, which was more pointed than 

 usual. These were called "White-tipped" fruits. When dis- 

 sected these fruits invariably showed near the tip of the fruit, 

 entirely enclosed by the fruit skin, a spherical greenish-white 

 envelope (calyx?) enclosing parts similar to corolla, stamens, 

 and pistil of normal flowers. (See Plate XXIX.) Some of 

 these fruits were seedless, while others contained as many as 20 

 perfect seeds. 



The Prairie Berry bears its crop in irregular overlapping peri- 

 ods. ■ When a certain number of fruits are set (the number de- 

 pends on strength of plant and favorable conditions), flowering 

 ceases; when these fruits are mature or are picked off, new 

 branches arise and the flowering is renewed. Whenever flower- 

 ing had thus stopped, the picking of the crop was begun. As 

 only ripe fruits were taken there were two or three harvests in 

 each fruiting period. The result of the crops produced in the 

 greenhouse in winter were as follows : ■ 



April 8 picked 334 fruits. 



2-celled — 78.1%; 3-celled — 20.7%; 4-celled — 1.2%; Fasci- 

 ated dropped off as flowers. 



April 12 picked 76 fruits. 



2-celled — 72.4%; 3-celled — 19.7%; 4-celled — o; Fasciated — 

 6,6%; White-tipped — 1.3%. 



April 20 picked 106 fruits. 



2-celled — 66.0%; 3-celled — 11.3%; 4-celled — 3-8%; Fasciat- 

 ed — 4.7%; White-tipped — 14.2%. 



May 17 picked 253 fruits. 



2-celled — 70.9%; 3-celled — 22.7%; 4-celled — 1.6%: Fasciat- 

 ed — o.S% : White-tipped — 4.070. 



