No. 626] GIGANTISM IN NI( OTfANA TAIi.K I'M 



219 



giant plants in tlie Cuban shade tol)acco and the Connec- 

 ticut Havana t.ype in Connecticut. 



In addition to Hunger's observation previously men- 

 tioned, Honing (1914) brought out other interesting facts 

 concerning the occurrence and behavior of giant plants in 

 Sumatra (Deli) and Java. 



Hayes (1915) further discussed the occurrence of giant 

 plants in the Cuban and Connecticut Havana types of 

 tobacco grown in New England. 



Hunger, in the ])aper referred to, states that the largest 

 giant i)laMt ol)served by him developed 128 leaves and 

 reached a height of nearly five meters. These plants were 

 entirely sterile, or, if blooming took ])lace, the number of 

 blossoms was greatly reduced. Honing states that the 

 behavior of these giant Sumatra ])lants with resj^ect to 

 the transmission of their peculiarities is variable. In one 

 instance he observed that a line of these plants finally 

 disappeared entirely. With respect to number of leaves, 

 Honing's studies of the T)eli tobacco indicate^ tlial >cv 

 era] more or less distinct types exist. Even rliouiili iiiu' 

 selections of these have been grown under bau' for <e\ (M a! 

 generations. i)laiits ])()ssossino' hio-h loaf luunlxM- hnw cc- 



peared in tlic Suinalra vai-icty <ii'o\vn in the {'\)\iv>\ Stati- 

 from seed oblaiiuMj from Sumatra. In llMi! two plant- 

 of thi^ l\ pr apiM.arrd in a mI' aiuuit Inn plant- -rown 

 at Arlinmon. ('a. TiicM' j^Iant- app*'aiv,l in tin- Mvond 

 year's plantinu' iVnm -cimI <.l)taintMl tVom Sumatra, (^ne 

 of tln-c. ^^hruvvmnvrd P. tiu' lirrrnliuu-.'. Iiad vriu-hM a 

 height of (-Icven feet aii.l had prc.luccd al)(Mit ini) l(^•lves. 

 with no indication of hloomiim-. It \va> not po-ible to 

 determine to what cxtont tluv-e plant> transmitted their 

 characteristics to tlidr proiivii\- -inco both died after 



In 11)0(1 and IDO? uiant or mammotli plam> were ob- 



