198 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [OCTOBER 
The flowers were divided arbitrarily into four classes, according 
to the stages of their development, as follows: straight bud, fig. 1; 
pointed bud, fig. 2; hooded bud, fig. 3; and erect standard, fig. 4. 
The lengths of the flower in millimeters were determined before 
they were examined, and these measurements serve to some extent 
as checks on their stages of development. In the fourth class of 
blossoms, the flowers did not measure longer than in the hooded bud 
Fic. 1.—Alfalfa bud representing “straight bud” stage; corolla in this stage has 
not grown out much beyond calyx; only standard petal can be seen; it is folded around 
all of the others. 
Fic. 2.—Alfalfa bud representing “pointed bud” stage; standard petal is seen to 
be distinctly curving upward in its growth; lower edges of wing petals, which together 
fold down over keel, are visible. 
stage. This is because all measurements were taken from the base 
of the calyx to the tip of the flower in the first stages. After the 
standard began to arise, the measurements continued to be taken 
to the tip of the interlocking envelope of the wings and keel, which 
did not further elongate after the erection of the standard. After 
being measured, each flower was dissected by means of needles and 
forceps at a magnification of 23 diameters, under a Zeiss binocular 
microscope, using F-55 objectives and no. 5 oculars. The dissec- 
