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seeds? Is pollination necessary for the production of a well-flavored and 

 good-sized fruit? Is the absence of mature seeds due only to the lack of 

 fertilization? 



In regard to the first question observations have been made which 

 answer it only in part. At the time of flowering, which occurs about the 

 last of May and the first of June, ovules were prepared for sectioning 

 from the lower part of the first tree already referred to. No difference 

 was noted among the flowers, although those in the upper part of the tree 

 were not examined. The flowers from the lower part so far as noted bore 

 a well-developed pistil but sterile stamens. Sections through the ovaries 

 of these flowers showed occasionally a well developed embryo sac, but in 

 some instances complete embryo sacs were not observed. Quite often the 

 antipodal cells, part of the egg apparatus or the polar nuclei seemed to 

 be lacking. Difficulties in staining due to the presence of tannin in cer- 

 tain parts of the ovary may have been responsible for this apparent con- 

 dition. The polar nuclei were found several times in an early state of 

 fusion, but further than this there were no evidences of endosperm or em- 

 bryonal development in any part of the embryo sac. The contents disor- 

 ganize and small aborted seeds which often occur seemed to be due merely 

 to a slight growth of the integuments. There were no evidences noted of 

 either fertilization or pollination having taken place. 



As regards the transfer of pollen from staminate trees, the latter are 

 not known to exist within three or four miles of the tree in question. 

 Whether bees carry pollen to this tree from a distance has not been ob- 

 served. If the tree bears in part perfect flowers, which has not yet been 

 determined, this may account for the production of seeds in some fruits 

 and not in others. The flowers so far as examined contained only sterile 

 stamens. If no perfect flowers are present the question as to the absence 

 of seeds being due to the lack of fertilization becomes of some import. 



While the seedless berries on this tree were nearly all small, on a 

 second tree seedless fruits were found quite as large as the others, the 

 flavor in each case being quite as good if not better, since the seedless 

 fruits as a rule have less of the astringent quality so characteristic of 

 most persimmons until thoroughly ripe and which often persists even 

 then. Whether the large size of the persimmon with seeds is due to the 

 influence of fertilization or to some native quality of the pistillate flower 

 has not been discovered. 



The Industrialist (No. 20, March, 1904, Kansas State Agricultural 



