418 Cutting. — Observations on Variations in the 
After observing bud-pollination and the forms with abortive and 
reduced stamens, it was determined to obtain information regarding the 
frequency and distribution of the respective variants. Several places were 
selected, in the same neighbourhood, where the Stachys was growing in 
quantities and the number of normal and abnormal open flowers were 
noted, in every case examining the flowering shoot from below upwards 
and distinguishing between the middle and side flowers of the side dichasia- 
The areas selected were typical ones, mostly hedgerows, and differed 
especially in the direction they faced, and therefore in the length of their 
daily exposure to sunshine. In the two sites provided with the greatest 
illumination [e and c) there were practically no variants but those with 
forked upper lips ; and in another area (b) } where the lighting was very 
good and the hedge plants had recently been cut (a few days before 
counting, no open flowers were present, and a week before no signs of 
inflorescences could be seen), only two variants were found. The wood 
records are not typical, as there were few flowers remaining in such shady 
situations. The percentage of middle flowers with stamens having short 
filaments will be found to be much smaller than the percentage of side 
flowers in a similar condition. This result, however, is deceptive. Flower- 
ing shoots bearing such flowers were very much reduced, not so much in 
the number of flowers borne as in regard to the length of the ‘ internodes ’ 
and in the size of the flower ; most of the corollas never opened, but withered 
in situ , and the greater number of them did not develop their nutlets to 
maturity. In fact no information was obtained as to whether the fruits of 
such flowers ever matured. The majority of such side flowers, therefore, 
probably never open, and their condition was not considered in the above 
numerical statement, nor was the. frequency of bud-pollination recorded. 
In June-July, 1920, plants were again examined on the chalk in Kent. 
Fusions and symmetrical flowers were commonly found, and a few flowers 
with reduced parts, i. e. two lobes to lower lip of corolla or with three 
similar lobes to lower lip of corolla. These latter cases were always the 
last-opened flowers on side verticillasters which were usually in a low position 
on the plant, and their condition can be taken to be due to deficient 
nutrition. In all the very numerous cases in which the corolla tube was 
wide open and the stigmas were bent over and fitting into the lower lip of 
the corolla, there were undoubted signs of disease, and the ‘ grub ’ itself was 
seen low down in the corolla tube in nearly every case. The fusions were 
difficult to treat statistically, for in some clumps of the plant there would be 
no abnormals of any kind, in other regions there would be a few of various 
sorts including a fusion, and in other places again there were plants showing 
a large number of these negative cUdoublements and, as far as could be 
discovered, little else that was abnormal. Counts were made in one such 
patch ; all the plants were affected and nearly all were examined statistically, 
