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CXXxii PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Apricots splitting — Mr. Worsdell observed that he had noticed that 

 many Apricots had the flesh split open this season, but not the stones. 

 Mr. Bowles remarked that he had experienced a similar occurrence in 

 previous years, and attributed it to the extreme drought. 



Cucumber piroliferous.—TfY. Masters exhibited flowers of both male 

 and female Cucumbers in which the axes had thrown out other blossoms. 

 He undertook to report upon the monstrosity. It was, however, a re- 

 markable fact that the three specimens came from Ireland, Dorsetshire, 

 and Middlesex respectively, within a few days of each other. As far as 



Fig. 245.— Repeated branching of the Inflorescence in a Male Flower of Cucumbe 

 leafy condition of the Calyx ; Isolation of Stamens, Production of Hermaphrodi 

 Flowers, &c. {Gardeners' Chronicle.) 



he knew, no such occurrence had ever been recorded before. Dr. Masters 

 subsequently, after examination, reported as follows : — 



" The malformations were exceedingly curious, so much so that in a 

 rather long experience I have never met with any similar. It is the 

 more remarkable, therefore, that we should have received all these 

 specimens from widely separated localities within a few days of each 

 other. In essentials these flowers, male and female respectively, were 

 identical, but with various minor differences in detail. 



" In the case of the male flowers, of which remarkable specimens were 



