IDS 
THIRTEENTH REPORT. 
To the Michigan botanists I need make no apology for the incomplete- 
ness of the foregoing sketch for it was in response to their earnest solic- 
itations that I have made this outline statement so that they could in the 
future, in case of my disability, carry the work to completion. 
EXPLANATION OF ACCOMPANYING CUTS. 
Cuts No. 1 and No. 2 represent two distinct forms of the Storeatae. 
The roots of No. 1 are fibrous while those of No. 2 are thick and fleshy 
with long attenuations. 
Cuts Nos. 3, 4 and 5 represent earth branches of the Spargerae. 
They are shown here at the beginning of their second or functional 
season. It will be seen that they have no roots except some very small 
ones at the apices. The small ones would develop later into large roots. 
No. 3 is natural size. No. 4 is two-thirds natural size. In No. 4 the old 
plant of last year shown in the right-hand upper corner is completely 
dead. 
These five cuts represent in a general way the more prominent under- 
ground systems of the genus. The other forms are modifications of 
these. 
Detroit, Mich., July, 1911. 
A RETROGRESSIVE METAMORPHOSIS ARTIFICIALLY PRO- 
DUCED. 
S. ALEXANDER. 
If fairly matured blossom buds of the peach be inserted in a stock 
after the way of ordinary bud grafting, they will generally drop off 
without making any growth, but occasionally they will grow after the 
following manner: 
The peduncle will increase in length to the extent of five or six inches. 
The sepals will grow to the size and length of full-sized leaves. The 
petals become sepal-like and the stamens take on color, expand their 
filaments and appear like petals. The styles and stigmas divide to an 
extent and endeavor to become stamens but fail. 
If these retrogressed flowers be permitted to further develop they will 
send out a bud which will grow into a tree. 
I have witnessed this phenomenon a number of times — from twenty 
to thirty in all — in my own peach nursery. 
Detroit, Mich., April, 1911. 
