In an experiment conducted in 1910, there was not 

 any marked difference in the results obtained "by fertiliz- 

 ing flowers with pollen from the same flowers or v;ith 

 pollen frorc other flowers of the same plant. 



In another experim^ent carried out in 1910, the 

 percentage of pods developing from flowers v;hich were 

 tripped without having the stigma or anthers com_e into 

 contact v/ith any object, was compared with the number 

 of flowers producing pods under natural conditions. 52.24 

 percent of the flowers which were tripped naturally, 

 probably by insects, produced pods. Of the flowers 

 from which the standards v/ere rem.oved, a.nd which were 

 tripped so that the pistil and stamens did not come into 

 contact with any object during the process, 14.15 percent 

 produced pods. lOien the flower was tripped by cutting the 

 base of the keel petals in siich a way that the pistil and 

 stamens moved up to the standard, without emerging from 

 the tip of the keel, 13.16 percent of the flowers tripped 

 in this way produced pods. "When the flowers were art- 

 ificially tripped with a piece of alfalfa stem, using 

 one piece of stem for all the flowers on one raceme, 41,73 

 percent of the flowers produced pods. The results of 

 this experim.ent indicate that the mechanical action upon 

 the surface of the stigma, v/hich is brought about when it 



(56) 



