84 BOTANICAL GAZETTE faueust 
forth of the receptaculum from the volva and the straightening 
out of its folded walls in elongation are due, therefore, to a true 
process of growth of the pseudoparenchyma, during which the 
cells of pseudoparenchyma at the angles of the folds grow some- 
what more spherical, however, and so become to some extent 
presumably active agents in the process of elongation. 
To one not aware of the vitality of these plants, the question 
may arise as to whether the longitudinal division of the recep- 
taculum into halves may not have injured the plants to such a 
degree as to invalidate my conclusions. The elongation is per- 
haps less rapid when the receptaculum has been so divided, but 
it seems to become-complete. The cells of pseudoparenchyma 
in such cases attain the full dimensions observed in the pseudo- 
parenchyma of a receptaculum from eggs of the same size and 
apparent vigor, in which elongation has occurred without divi- 
sion of the receptaculum having been made. Under £2. 9 are 
grouped sets of measurements of the pseudoparenchyma in the 
receptaculum of a vigorous plant whose elongation was normal 
and was completed before any incision was made into the stipe. 
The averages of the lengths of diameter of the pseudoparen- 
chyma vary from 37.7p to 38.6m in this case. In Exps. 6 and 7 
the average diameters of the pseudoparenchyma in the halved 
receptacula at the completion of elongation were respectively 
37.2H and 37.9m. These three sets of averages agree well; the 
plants on which they are based were strong plants of about the 
same size. The specimen used in £2p. 8 was smaller and slen- 
derer than the others and its pseudoparenchyma cells were also 
smaller; their average diameter is not probably comparable with 
those of the specimens used in the other experiments. 
The conclusions reached may be summarized as follows: 
1. While the rapidity of elongation is favored by an abund- 
ant supply of water, still any very appreciable amount in addi- 
tion to that already contained in the egg is not absolutely nec- 
essary. 
2. Elongation of the receptaculum is not dependent on any 
contribution of water or other substance from the volva during 
es ears 
