SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE, JANUARY 15. 
xix 
produces the same effect as P. obconica has been ascertamed by 
Messrs. Sutton, of Reading, Messrs. James, of Farnham Royal, and 
others ; but the ill effects appear to be only observed in the case 
of very few of the persons who handle the plants. It was the 
variety known as P. s. alba plena, in which the irritant property 
had been noticed. As a contrary case, it was observed that with 
regard to the very poisonous Neilgherry Nettle, none at Kew 
could touch it except one person, to whom it was innocuous. 
Mr. Michael added that very similar differences occur when hairy 
caterpillars are handled. 
Fertilisation of the Chrysanthemum.— kn interesting com- 
munication was received from Mr. H. Briscoe-Ironside, of Burgess 
Hill, on this subject. It had been thought by some writers, 
following Darwin a little too implicitly perhaps, that the 
anthers of the Chrysanthemum ... as of all members of the 
Compositae . . . are proterandrous . . . and naturally adapted 
for cross-fertilisation " (Burbidge). Mr. Ironside, quoting this 
passage, observes that as far as his own observations in Italy went, 
the Chrysanthemum is quite, if not more, readily self-fertilised 
than naturally crossed. He finds, too, that the seed resulting 
from the self-fertilisation of the disk-florets give very poor 
results from a horticultural point of view, and he thinks it to be 
^' most probable that this is the seed which is advertised and sold, 
and which, as we learn, gives such poor results." It has now 
been generally recognised that the Composite depend quite as 
much on self- fertilisation in nature as on intercrossing, and, 
although the florets are seemingly adapted to the latter process, 
the former is quite as likely to take place, many inconspicuously 
flowering species, as Wormwood and Groundsel, being in all 
probability never visited by insects at all. With reference to 
the " inferiority" of the flowers resulting from self -fertilisation, 
this is the rule ; hence arises the importance of intercrossing for 
floral improvements. But the difficulties involved in trying to 
avoid self- fertilisation in the Compositae are very great, in con- 
sequence of the minuteness and proximity to each other of the 
florets. Mr. Ironside proceeds to quote the following observation 
of Mr. Burbidge : The Chrysanthemum had, ages ago, become 
naturally adapted for cross-fertilisation, and to that fact, no 
doubt, is due its variability in nature and in our own gardens ; " 
and he thereupon asks: "Why does history refer con- 
si 2 
