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On the relationship between the number of ovules formed and the 
capacity of the ovary for maturing its ovules into seeds 
J. ARTHUR HARRIS 
I. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS 
In a series of papers published in part only and which need not 
be cited here, I have attempted by the use of the modern 
higher statistics to analyze the internal factors influencing seed 
production. | 
This work has consisted chiefly in determining the correlations 
between the degree of development of various somatic organs 
and the fertility of the fruit. 
Certain peculiarities of the fruit itself have been also considered 
in their relationship to capacity for seed production or to the 
characteristics of the seed formed. A question of considerable 
interest upon which very little has been published is that of the 
relationship between the number of ovules formed by a fruit and 
its capacity for maturing these ovules into seeds. To the data of 
this problem the present paper is a contribution. In it only 
questions of fact will be considered, for it is quite premature to 
essay any interpretation of observed relationships in more general 
terms. 
The problem in hand is to determine whether ovaries with a 
number of ovules above the average are more (or less) capable of 
developing their ovules into seeds than those below the average. 
A priori, ovaries with more than the mean number of ovules must 
be expected to produce on the average absolutely more seeds 
than those with less than the mean number. A Posteriori, this 
condition is found almost without exception. But the question 
which interests the physiologist is whether ovaries of any class 
with respect to number of ovules are more capable of seed produc- 
tion as shown by their developing a higher proportion of their 
ovules into seeds. 
This problem is not only of importance from the standpoint of 
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