4 BULLETIN 289, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
question whether or not red clover is self-fertile, according to Smith — 
(38, p. 236). | 
Garton, according to Wallace (44), claims that red-clover flowers 
are cleistogamous, but Martin (26) in his work on the cytology of | 
red-clover flowers disproved this theory. Garton attempts to prove 
that the flowers are cleistogamous by saying that the ovules are 
well formed by the time the flowers open. The ovary is quite large 
at this time, and it was undoubtedly taken to be a developing ovule. 
Pammel and King (32) record that self-fertilization was accomplished 
in some experiments at Ames, lowa, by irritating the stigmas. Hunt 
(19) speaks as follows: “‘It has long been recognized that red-clover 
and other leguminous flowers may be self-pollinated, although it 
has never been determined whether self-pollination or cross-pollina- 
tion most commonly occurs.” 
According to Dunning (8), after the introduction and establish- 
ment of bumblebees in New Zealand red clover seeded abundantly, 
but previous to this time he says it seeded very little. The Agri- 
cultural Gazette of New South Wales (9, 16) maintains that bumble- 
bees were introduced into New South Wales from New Zealand sec 
that they would be able to produce clover seed for home use, which 
up to this time was largely imported. At Failford, New South 
Wales, red clover seeded abundantly (35), although no bumblebees 
had been noticed in that vicmity. The pollinating was thought to 
have been done by several native insects. This was several years 
after the introduction of bumblebees. Later (17) it was stated that 
bumblebees had become well established. 
Waldron (41, 42) found in his experiments that bumblebees were 
responsible for about 95 per cent of red-clover seed and that a smail 
quantity may be produced by natural self-pollination. 
Miller (29, p. 184-186) states that when a bee draws its proboscis. 
out of a clover flower cross-pollination is assured and self-pollination 
may also take place, but that the self-pollination 1s probably neutral- 
ized and superseded by the immediately preceding cross-pollination. 
Folsom (10, p. 116) considers the Italian race of honeybees as 
important as the bumblebees in clover-seed production, while Arm- 
strong (1) claims that honeybees are able to extract nectar from 
red-clover flowers in New Zealand. Pammel (31, p. 172) shows that 
honeybees are able to collect pollen from red-clover flowers and 
thereby cross-pollinate them. Robertson (33, p. 177) states as 
follows: “But while butterflies may sometimes effect cross-fertili- 
zation of the red clover, they are of doubtful value, if not injurious. 
* *« * But butterflies can insert their thin tongues without 
depressing the keel, and, even if they get a little pollen on their 
thin proboscides, it is apt to be wiped off by the closely approxi- 
mated. tips of the petals, which close the mouths of the flowers.”’ 
