( 322) 
cotyledons. The cotyledons grow very rapidly and replace 
the endosperm as rapidly as the latter did the perisperm. In 
Ecballium the rapidly developing endosperm performs the 
work of digestion. In Cucurécta he states that the endosperm 
fills the embryo-sac later than in Ecéballium. In Szcyos the 
odsphere appears elongated, and there are numerous anti- 
podal cells. Hofmeister thought that the ovules in all the 
Cucurbitaceae develop in about the same way as in £cdal- 
lium. THis results are not entirely in accord with those of 
Schleiden, especially in the matter of the phenomena accom- 
panying fertilization. But on the whole the work of Hof- 
meister is a distinct advance over anything that had so far 
been done. From the study of the material at the present 
time, however, it would be impossible to confirm in all points 
the account which he gave to science in the classic work just 
cited. Considering the conditions under which Hofmeister 
worked, we are the more surprised that the work was as 
accurately done as it was. There were many points difficult 
of demonstration which have been clearly set forth in his 
work, which we with all our knowledge of technique have 
not been able to change materially. Our knowledge of the 
processes of spore development, fecundation, and embryology 
in the Cucurbitaceae remain to-day substantially as Hofmeister 
left them over fifty years ago. His work on this family was 
not in all points correct, as will appear when we come to the 
discussion of some of the particular types of which he treats. 
While attention has been given to the structure of the ovule 
and the phenomena of embryonic growth, practically nothing 
has been contributed in regard to the earlier stages of develop- 
ment, and what has been described of the later phases has 
been of a very brief character with reference to a few particu- 
lar forms. In some forms the development of the microspores 
has received attention, but nothing has been done on the 
character of the nuclear divisions of the spore-mother-cells. 
Some observations have been made upon the development of 
the ovule and upon the placentation, and some upon the 
general organogeny of pistillate and staminate flowers, more 
