20 



possible, whether the above results, arrived at under somewhat 

 artificial conditions, are borne out in actual practice. 



In the first place, a very large number of nearly ripe hops were 

 examined in order to determine to what extent seed production takes 

 place. No well -grown hops were seen without seeds. Further, it was 

 found possible to count the seeds in any hop by observing the size 

 of the bracteoles. When seeds have set, the bracteoles are much 

 larger and brighter yellow than those which only bear rudimentary 

 seeds. In Fig. 3, bracteoles with (A), and without (B) fully developed 

 seeds are shown. In all cases those with mature seeds are larger 

 than those with rudimentary seeds. The hops on the right and left 

 (C) represent extremes of well-grown-out seed hops. The two hops 

 (E) are seedless hops from a control bunch, while (D) represents a 

 hop from a pollinated bunch. The difference in size of the bracteoles 

 with and without perfect seeds is well seen in the large hop on 

 the left (C). 



Since the stigmas at the stalk-end of the hop are ready for pollen 

 first, after which those towards the free end become successively 

 receptive, a considerable period elapses between the beginning and 

 end of pollination in any particular hop. In view of the scarcity of 

 males in many gardens at the present time, it appeared probable, 

 therefore, that hops would be found seedless at the base, fertile at 

 the free end and vice versa. A search showed that this was the case* 

 In a garden near Wye which contained only three male hills in four- 

 teen acres, numerous hops were found seedless and small at the base, 

 but fertile and enlarged at the free end. Others were found seedless 

 and constricted in the centre only. Fig. 4 illustrates this point. 



It was next noticed that fully developed seed hops and badly 

 grown out, unripe, seedless hops were often to be found on the same 

 bine. In such cases, pollen was probably abundant when the earliest 

 hops on the bine were in burr, but was not available when the later 

 hops were ready for pollination. Hence, in order to obtain all the 

 hops on a bine in a well-grown-out condition pollen must be available 

 during the whole burr period. 



Evidence on the subject of the special liability of seedless hops 

 to mould attacks was now sought in the field. It will be remembered 



