No. 4.] CROSSING OF PLANTS. 59 



them, drops the pieces, puts in the fertilizer and covers 

 them. I have never had better potatoes than when I 

 have planted small ones. I think they run the most even ; 

 I have them almost all of a size. I would like to ask 

 the essayist a question in regard to squashes. Will the 

 seed which comes from the stem end produce a different 

 kind of squash from that which comes from the seed end ? 

 Will the seed that comes from the stem end produce 

 squashes more like the parent squash than that which comes 

 from the other end ? 



Professor Bailey. I have tried it. I have planted seeds 

 from both ends and from the middle, and have never found 

 any difference in the result. I do not think there is any. 



M. P. Palmer (of Groton). I would like to ask the 

 essayist if there is any such thing as planting squash seeds 

 and getting a crop of pumpkins ? 



Professor Bailey. That depends upon your definition of 

 " squashes " and "pumpkins" entirely. Just what do you 

 mean by a field pumpkin ? 



Mr. Palmer. I mean the old-fashioned pumpkin, such as 

 we make pies of. 



Professor Bailey. No, sir ; there is no such thing. If 

 you mean by ' ' squashes " those like the Hubbard and mar- 

 row type, and if you mean by "pumpkins" those like the 

 old-fashioned type, there is no such thing. 



Mr. Palmer. You would say it is impossible? 



Professor Bailey. It is impossible ; yes, sir. 



Mr. Palmer. I have had experience this year in planting 

 that kind of seed and getting a crop of pumpkins. 



Professor Bailey. Some few years ago I purchased some- 

 thing like a bushel of what purported to be English lawn 

 grass seed. But instead of getting lawn grass I got several 

 kinds of European weeds. Very likely the seed which has 

 been spoken of was pumpkin seed, not squash seed. 



Professor Shaler. I have planted corn in Massachusetts 

 and in Kentucky, and have had occasion to avail myself of 

 those curious geographic varieties which we have succeeded 

 in creating of that plant. You are all aware that when Indian 

 corn came from the Indians it was a tolerably variant plant ; 

 but it is pretty clear that when the Indians had it it varied 



