THE SELF-FEKTILIZATION OF PLANTS. 345 



But he does not see, that this distinction is required, 

 only where there is disproportionate development; nor 

 does he perceive, that the difference works fertility, 

 merely because it implies the contribution, by each 

 parent-form, of the forces of some characters which 

 are wanting in the other. 



" Sixty-three flowers," says Darwin (p. 164, Vol. ii, 

 Animals and Plants, &c), " of Corydalis cava, born on 

 distinct plants, were fertilized by Dr. Hildebrand, with 

 the pollen from other plants of the same species ; and 

 fifty-eight capsules were obtained, including, on an 

 average, 4.5 seed, in each. He then fertilized sixteen 

 flowers, produced by the same raceme, one with 

 another, but obtained, only three capsules, one of which 

 alone produced any good seeds, namely two in num- 

 ber. Lastly, he fertilized twenty-seven flowers, each, 

 with its own pollen ; he left also fifty-seven flowers to 

 be spontaneously fertilized, and this would certainly 

 have ensued, if it had been possible, for the anthers 

 not only touch the stigma, but the pollen-tubes were 

 seen by Dr. Hildebrand to penetrate it; nevertheless, 

 these 84 flowers did not produce a single seed capsule. 

 This whole case is highly instructive, as it shows how 

 widely different the action of the same pollen is, 

 according as it is placed on the stigma of the same 

 flower, or on that of another flower on the same raceme, 

 or on that of a distinct plant." 



Here, Darwin wisely and grandiloquently asserts, 

 that the fact of "the widely different action of the 

 same pollen," "is highly instructive," because {sic) "it 

 shows how widely different the action of the same 

 pollen" is! This is a clever device, by which Darwin 

 frequently conceals his inability to explain the phe- 

 nomena which he records. The student is naturally 

 30 



