496 XEW JERSEY AGKICULTURAL COLLEGE 



other parts of a uniform green. As a result of these sowings it was 

 ascertained that, in some instances, as high as fifteen per cent, of the 

 seedlings were of the si^ecies other than the one bearing the pod that 

 produced the seeds. 



This led to a further study of these two species, and while in the 

 greenhouse the large, tubular flowers were easily, and generally, self- 

 pollenized — the anthers maturing and discharging their contents be- 

 fore the corolla had opened — it was found that the two species crossed 

 artifically with ease. 



Early the past spring, in the Station greenhouse, reciprocal pollena- 

 tions were made between Datura Taiula L. and Datura Stramonium L. 

 and well-developed seed obtained. Both species were readily fertilized 

 with the ornamental sort. Datura meteloides DC, but several at- 

 tempts to fertilize D. meteloides with the other two failed. 



Aboiit forty plants representing Datura Stramonium, fertilized by 

 Datura Tatula, and six of which Datura Tatula was the pistillate 

 parent, were started in the Station greenhouse and transplanted to 

 the Experiment Area (Plot IV., Series II.) July 11th. More of the 

 crossed seeds were sown in the same plot July 14th. From those of 

 D. Stramonium upon D. Tatula eighteen plants were obtained, and 

 over seventy of D. Tatula upon D. Stramonium. 



Those who are familiar with the two parent species can observe a 

 difference in haljit in these hybrids, but the untrained eye would 

 not be likely to detect anything to separate them from the purple 

 species {D. Tatula). In other words, it does not matter in what way 

 the union took place, wdiether D. Tatula upon D. Stramonium or the 

 reverse, the offspring have all taken the purple color of the D. Tatula 

 parent, and none of them retain the green stems and leaves and white 

 blossoms of the D. Stramonium. 



The crossing needs to be more extensive before any conclusions as 

 to the results obtained can be safely drawn. It would seem that, were 

 it not for the very general self-fertilization prevalent in these two 

 species, they would soon be blended into one hybrid at the loss of 

 the green D. Stramonium. 



These large, "heavy-scented" flowers are not apparently favorites 

 with any of our insects, whatever may be the facts in Asia, the prob- 

 able home of D. Stramonium, and in tropical America, where D. 

 Tatula is reported as being native. 



It remains to see what the second generation of the hybrids may be. 



