Miscellaneous. 153 



Journal, comparable in its peculiar field with that of the 

 Canadian Insitute ; but on the other hand not having any- 

 available means, except the annual subscriptions of members, 

 this society is unable to give its Journal gratuitously to its 

 members, or by means of exchanges to augment its library- 

 The truth is, that Science in Toronto as represented by the 

 Canadian Institute is liberally fostered by the Legislature, where- 

 as Science in Montreal as represented by the Natural History 

 Society receives only the pittance allotted to ordinary Mechanics' 

 Institutes. We are very far from grudging the Institute the grant 

 so well bestowed on it, and we admit in our own case that inde- 

 pendence cultivates many rugged self-reliant virtues: Nor do\ 

 we deny that, other things being equal, a Journal or publication 

 unsupported by public aid will usually be better managed than 

 one so supported. In the meantime however, as a stimulus to 

 our membership, and for the wider circulation of the results of 

 Canadian Science, we think it very desirable that the friends of 

 Natural Science, in Lower Canada should endeavour to secure, 

 for this its leading representative, some adequate share of legis- 

 lative aid. • 



Effects of FoKEiGN Pollen on Fruit. — The following on this 

 curious subject is from Silliman's Journal, No. *73 : — In the last 

 number of this Journal, p. 443, some facts were referred to, which 

 led to the supposition that pollen applied to the stigma may exert 

 some specific action upon the ovary itself, independent of its action 

 upon the ovules determining the formation of the embryo. This 

 was mentioned as furnishing the most probable clue to the explan- 

 ation of the reputed fact that squashes are spoiled (that is the 

 quality and appearance of the fruit altered) by pumpkins growing 

 in their vicinity, and vice versa ; and even that melons are spoiled 

 by squashes •; and this notwithstanding the fact, ascertained by 

 Naudin, that distinct species of Cucurbitacece refuse to hybridize, 

 although the various races of the same species cross with the 

 greatest facility. It is generally agreed that the alteration of the 

 character of the fruit is immediate, i. e., that it affects the ovary 

 itself which has been contaminated by strange pollen. It might 

 then equally affect the fruit whether the seeds were any of them 

 fertilized or not ; and in Naudin's experiments the application of 

 pollen apparently caused the fruit to set, even when no ovules- 

 were fertilized. 



