CUCUMBER CROSSES. 199 



or more pollen grains), but the shape of the fruit is not 

 necessarily influenced. And yet there are instances in 

 which pollination appears to make the fruit unshapely, 

 but why it should exert this influence at some times and 

 not at others I am unable at present to state. It ap- 

 pears to be often a peculiarity or variation of indi- 

 vidual plants. There were two plants in our house one 

 winter which invariably produced deformed fruits when 

 pollen was used, although fruits on other plants along- 

 side were not influenced by pollen. Upon these suscepti- 

 ble individuals we found that the pollinated fruits would 

 grow to uniform thickness if they were swung or tied up, 

 as recommended on page 189. It is probable that much 

 of the irregularity in shape is but an expression of plant 

 variation, rather than a result of particular treatment. It 

 is an interesting fact in the variation of plants under 

 domestication that the long English cucumber cannot 

 produce seed in its lower half, although ovules are 

 usually present. It is probable that the fruit has been 

 developed to such a length that the pollen-tubes cannot 

 reach the remote ovules. 



Crosses. The English forcing cucumbers cannot be 

 successfully grown in the field, but they possess some 

 points of merit for a field cucumber, as smoothness and 

 cylindricity, length, and great vigor of vine. We there- 

 fore attempted some crosses in the winter of 1889-90 be- 

 tween the Sion House and Medium Green, hoping to 

 produce a superior sort for outdoor use. Our results 

 have been exceedingly interesting from a scientific point 

 of view, although we have not yet procured the cucum- 

 ber which we sought. Fruits of unusual promise have 

 been obtained, but they have not produced good seeds. 

 Some of the mongrel fruits developed a peculiar weak- 

 ness in the tendency of the placentae or cell walls to de- 

 cay. The seeds did not mature, and the soft, pulpy tis- 

 sue about them solidified. Near the apex of the fruit the 

 placentae tended to break away from the body, and in 



