On the Growth of the Fruit of Cucurbita. 
BY 
FRANCIS DARWIN. 
With Plates XXII and XXIII. 
'HE work of which I here give an account began with an 
JL attempt to estimate the increase in weight 1 of the fruit 
of the Vegetable Marrow ( Cucurbita ) and of other gourds. 
I became interested in the subject, and passed on to the 
measurement of the growing fruit. This latter part of the sub- 
ject is not new ; Kraus 2 has made observations on Gourds, 
Apples, Pears, & c. But as my experiments are in some 
respects more detailed than those of Kraus, they seem to me 
worth publishing. My first attempt at estimating the increase 
in weight of the fruit of Cucurbita was an extremely rough 
one. I was staying in a country house, away from all means 
of accurate observation, but it seemed worth while to get 
some rough ideas of the facts. Having selected a vegetable 
marrow growing out of doors, and apparently increasing 
vigorously, I proceeded to weigh it at stated intervals with 
the only instrument at my disposal, namely, a spring-balance 
graduated to \ oz. 
1 The desirability of investigating the rate of growth in weight was suggested to 
me by my friend Dr. Sherrington, of St. Thomas’ Hospital. 
2 G. Kraus, Abhandl. d. Naturf. Gesellsch. zu Halle, Vol. xv. 
[Annals of Botany, Vol. VII. No. XXVIII. December, 1893.] 
