246 The Botanical Gazette. [June, 
cells more loosely arranged (fig. 12). The latter state of 
things was observed in one case only. Frequently only one 
initial cell could be seen, yet two were usually present. The 
initial cell divides by a transverse wall into two unequal cells, 
the lower being the larger (fig. 13). Very soon a divisiontakes 
place in the lower cell (fig. 14) thus giving rise in all to three 
cells. It can not be said with certainty that this is always 
the order of division, but in the particular instances figured, 
there can be little doubt, for in fig. 13 the nucleus of the 
lower cell is in the skein stage of the prophases. In fig. 14, 
it will be observed that the middle cell is somewhat com- 
pressed by the enlarging mother-cell of the embryo-sac. 
Sometimes, however, the first division wall in the initial cell 
is inclined at an angle of about forty-five degrees; in other cases 
it was greatly arched downwards, 7. ¢., away from the apex of 
the nucellus, making the upper cell the larger; again a division 
may take place in the nucleus of the upper cell without being 
followed by cell-division (fig. 19). All this may take place be- 
fore any sign of an integument is visible. In fig. 15 it is clear 
that cell-division did not follow nuclear division in the lower 
cell resulting from the first division of the initial cell. The 
two nuclei lie in opposite ends of the cell, separated by two 
large vacuoles. From the fact that growth is here very rapid, 
it may be suggested that the forces controlling nuclear divis- 
ion and the formation of the new cell wall were proportion- 
ately weaker than those which, at the same time, bring about 
the growth in size of the dividing cell. Usually the lower 
cell of the three becomes the embryo-sac, as in the vast ma- 
jority of phanerogams, but the uppermost cell of the row may 
probably become the mother-cell of the embryo-sac (fig. 16). 
Of course, it is impossible to state definitely what would be 
the final result of such a condition here figured, as it was 
the only instance of the kind observed. The lower cell which 
is slightly disorganized is partly hidden by the cell above it, 
which in turn is somewhat overlapped by the terminal cell of 
the row. In this ovule the inner integument has just begun 
its development. 
The mother-cell now develops rapidly into the embryo- 
sac. In fig. 17 will be seen such a cell with the remains of 
the disorganized cells above it. The large cell just beneath 
this is evidently one of the axial row of the nucellus, which 
failed to divide, and has become, as a result, larger than the 
