406 MIXTURE OF POLLEN. 



slowly a pod of inferior size with fewer seeds, the 

 cross impregnation decidedly taking the lead. This 

 circumstance may be analogous to the introduction 

 of a male from another flock or herd, which has 

 been found advantageous to the breeds of domestic 

 animals." 



Herbert was not successful in obtaining any 

 results like those of Mr. Knight from the blending 

 of the pollen of several species before application. 

 He says he " attempted to fecundate a plant with 

 the pollen of twelve species, most industriously 

 mixed together, but very few seeds were ripened, 

 and they differed very little from those which had 

 been procured by the pollen of one of the twelve 

 species. I obtained mule and natural seed from 

 the same capsule, but they were probably formed 

 in different cells. Experiments should be made to 

 ascertain whether, in cases of partial and imperfect 

 fecundation, the pollen of another species, and even 

 of a nearly allied genus, which could not alone 

 fertilize the ovary, can act in conjunction with a 

 single grain, or at least with an insufficient quantity 

 of the natural dust to affect the fertilization, and 

 occasion the seed to produce a variety, not exactly 

 hybrid, but in some degree departing from the nat- 

 ural form. It is certain, by the result of many 

 experiments made at Spofforth, that the pollen of a 

 nearly allied genus, which can not affect the pro- 

 duction of seed that will vegetate, will often cause 



