Chap. I. 



PEIMTJLA VEEIS. 



19 



len-grains, were more masculine in nature. Accord- 

 ingly, in 1860, 1 marked a few cowslips of both forms 

 growing in my garden, and others growing in an 

 open field, and others in a shady wood, and gathered 

 and weighed the seed. In all the lots the short- 

 styled plants yielded, contrary to my expectation, most 

 seed. Taking the lots together, the following is the 

 result : — 



Table 1. 



Kumber 



of 

 Plants. 



Number 

 of Umbels 

 produced. 



Number 

 of Capsules 

 produced. 



Weight 



of Seed in 



grains. 



Short-styled cowslips 

 Long-styled cowslips 



9 

 13 



33 

 51 



199 



261 



S3 

 91 



If we compare the weight from an equal number of 

 plants, and from an equal number of umbels, and from 

 an equal number of capsules of the two forms, we get 

 the following results : — 



Table 2. 



So that, by all these standards of comparison, the 

 short-styled form is the more fertile ; if we take the 

 number of umbels (which is the fairest standard, for 

 large and small plants are thus equalised), the short- 

 styled plants produce more seed than the long-styled, 

 in the proportion of nearly four to three. 



In 1861 the trial was made in a fuUer and fairer 



