1082 REPORT—1885. 
M. CasHMERIANUS of Gardens. The latter being dwarf in habit, bearing some- 
what large, and exceedingly brilliant flowers. Both parents are quite hardy and 
herbaceous. 
Two specimens of M. duteus were placed in a greenhouse where there were no 
other mimuli. When the flower buds were almost ready to burst open, a portion 
of the flower was cut away in order to get at the pistil, and in this manner three 
blooms were impregnated with pollen from the M. Cashmerianus, and the small 
flower buds above them were not allowed to bloom. 
The second plant was treated in the same manner, but was crossed with pollen 
from another plant of MW. luteus. 
When the seed pods were nearly matured, three more buds on the same stem 
(and obviously above those formerly crossed) were allowed to mature, and when 
nearly ready to expand were cut open and impregnated in both plants by pollen 
from another plant of M. luteus. These experiments were therefore :— 
1. A self yellow mimulus crossed with a spotted mimulus. 
2. A self yellow mimulus crossed with a yellow mimulus. 
3. The yellow mimulus (experiment one) again crossed with a yellow mimulus. 
4, The yellow mimulus (experiment two) again crossed with a yellow 
minulus. 
More than a hundred seedlings resulted and bloomed, and every one of them 
were spotted. : 
There was no difference in the seedlings in experiments two and four, every 
plant being a copy of M. luteus, the two parents. 
In experiments one and three, every seedling was spotted and having characters 
intermediate between the two parents (a yellow flower and a spotted flower). 
Six, however, had the spots on a white ground, whilst in the remainder the ground 
colour varied in different shades of yellow. There was not a single plant with a 
self yellow flower, and there was no difference in the appearance of the flowers in 
experiments one and three. 
These experiments have been repeated with the same results, and the plants 
are now in flower. 
Thus the impregnation of the first flowers was communicated through the 
flowering branch to the buds forming higher up the stem, and produced seedlings 
identical with those from the former impregnation, and the second impregnation 
with a yellow flower was unable to alter the offspring. 
It may be mentioned that these experiments disclosed the fact that the two 
lips of the pistil of the mimulus are exceedingly sensitive, closing rapidly when 
touched by the brush, either with or without pollen. Every species of mimulus 
that has been examined showed this sensitiveness. 
From the above cross has resulted a most beautiful strain of hardy mimuli. 
3. On the Impregnation of Composite Flowers. By EH. J. Lown, F.R.S. 
A large number of experiments have been made during the last three years. 
on the impregnation of the single dahlias, the result of which may be briefly 
stated. 
If a bloom of the single dahlia be examined it will be found that the marginal 
portion of the flower-head is in a condition to be impregnated before the centre of 
the same flower-head, so that in order to impregnate every portion of the flower- 
head, it is requisite to continue the operation for several days. 
Taking advantage of this circumstance, an individual flower-head was impreg- 
nated three several times with different pollen, so that three distinct breeds of 
flowers were obtained from one flower-head. 
In one example the outer rim was impregnated with clematis-like flowers, the 
next rim with flowers having a coloured centre, whilst the centre was crossed 
with flowers haying a star-like character, the petals revolved and giving a wheel- 
like appearance. 
In saving the seeds from a ripe seed pod, those along the outer edge were kept. 
