-266 THE PHILOSOPHY 



ed two fpecies of the pumpion, which belong to this divifion 

 of plants, in a fituation removed from every fufpicion of for- 

 eign connection by means of the wind or of infects. < In the 

 beginning of June/ fays he, * two individuals, for I had ord- 

 ered two only to be raifed, were juft beginning to put 

 forth a few flower-buds towards the bottom of the ftalk. 

 At this early period, the male flowers may be eafiiy diftin- 

 guiflied from the female. The former alfo denominated 

 barre?i by botanifts, have a flender ftalk ; while the ftalk 

 of the latter, where it joins the calyx, forms a tumor, con- 

 lifting of the immature fruit. I paid daily vifits to thefe 

 two individuals, and very carefully watched the progrefs of 

 both forts of flowers. That there might be no fufpicion 

 of the pollen exerting any influence upon the females, the 

 males were deftroyed at their firft appearance. As fruit, 

 when a fmall quantity only is left upon a plant, is fooner 

 ripe, and grows to a larger ftze, becaufe it receives a great- 

 er quantity of nutritious juice, I left on each of my two in- 

 dividuals two flowers only. The buds that made their ap- 

 pearance afterwards were taken away, along with the male 

 flowers. Meanwhile my four gourds grew rapidly. Find- 

 ing that, tow^ards the middle of September, they had at- 

 tained the ufual (ize, I gathered one, in order to infpeft the 

 internal parts. The flefti was too foft, becaufe the fruit was 

 not thoroughly ripe ; but, in colour, ftruiTture, and tafte, it 

 refembled fruit produced by plants which had their male 

 flowers. The feeds were in a great number, and, as well 

 internally as externally, were perfedlly formed. At the 

 end of the month, the other three gourds were quite ripe. 

 I therefore gathered them, and put the feeds of each into 

 a feparate box, tliat I might be able to examine them at 

 pleafure. The lobes filled the whole infide of the feeds, 

 and had all the characters of perfeiSl maturity. 



