108 PAPAVEB VAGUM. CHAP. IV 



the shortness of the stamens, unless the flower happens to stand 

 inclined. The present species, therefore, does not seem so well 

 fitted for self-fertilisation as most of the others. Nevertheless 

 P. vagum produced plenty of capsules in my garden when insects 

 were excluded, but only late in the season. I may here add that 

 P. somniferum produces an abundance of spontaneously self- 

 fertilised capsules, as Professor H. Hoffmann likewise found to 

 be the case.* Some species of Papaver cross freely when growing 

 in the same garden, as I have known to be the case with P, 

 bracteatum and orientale. 



Plants of Papaver vagum were raised from seeds sent me from 

 Antibes through the kindness of Dr. Bornet. Some little time 

 after the flowers had expanded, several were fertilised with 

 their own pollen, and others (not castrated) with pollen from a 

 distinct individual ; but I have reason to believe, from observa- 

 tions subsequently made, that these flowers had been already 

 fertilised by their own pollen, as this process seems to take place 

 soon after their expansion.! I raised, however, a few seedlings 

 of both lots, and the self-fertilised rather exceeded the crossed 

 plants in height. 



Early in the following year I acted differently, and fertilised 

 seven flowers, very soon after their expansion, with pollen from 

 another plant, and obtained six capsules. From counting the 

 seeds in a medium-sized one, I estimated that the average 

 number in each was at least 120. Four out of twelve capsules, 

 spontaneously self-fertilised at the same time, were found to 

 contain no good seeds ; and the remaining eight contained on 

 an average 6'6 seeds per capsule. But it should be observed 

 that later in the season the same plants produced under a net 

 plenty of very fine spontaneously self-fertilised capsules. 



The above two lots of seeds, after germinating on sand, were 

 planted in pairs on opposite sides of five pots. The two lots of 

 seedlings, when half an inch in height, and again when 6 inches 

 high, were measured to the tips of their leaves, but presented 



* 'Zur Speciesfrage,' 1875, p. 53. -done " on the second day, or even 



* Mr. J. Scott found ('Keport a few hours after the expansion 

 on the Experimental Culture of of the flower on the first day, a 

 the Opium Poppy :' Calcutta, 1874, partial fertilisation had already 

 p. 47), in the case of Papaver som- been effected, and a few good 

 niferum, that if he cut away the seeds were almost invariably pro- 

 stigmatic surface before the duced." This proves at how early 

 flower had expanded, no seeds a period fertilisation takes place, 

 were produced; but if this was 



