Cantai^oupk Breeding. 
9 
The variations of the individual selections seemed to come 
from no other reason than the inherent tendency of the individual, 
for the whole plat had the same care in every respect possible. 
The recent application of Mendel’s laws of heredity offers an 
explanation of the results observed in this experiment. The heter¬ 
ozygous unit factors of some of the selections produced the irreg¬ 
ular variations, while the homozygous, or pure unit factors of 
others, resulted in characters breeding true. 
HYBRIDIZATION. 
So far in the investigation we have employed only seed selec¬ 
tion to secure the desired results; but now the need of hybridiza¬ 
tion is manifest to combine the desired qualities found in different 
selections, for simple seed selection has been inadequate to this 
object. To combine the rust-resistance with earlier maturity is 
much desired, and to this end observations and tests have been 
made during the past season to ascertain the fact and methods 
necessary for artificial cross-fertilization of the cantaloupe flowers. 
As a result several cross-pollenizations were made between some 
of the best selections of the rust-resistant strain and an abnormal 
early setting plant of another strain known as the “Watters.” Ac¬ 
cording to Mendels law of constant proportitions resulting from 
such hybrids, we may confidently expect the desired combination 
if the qualities are compatible. 
It was found by observations that the flower of the Rocky 
Ford cantaloupe is quite the exception to most of the cucurbitaceous 
plants like the cucumber and many other varieties of melons, which 
have their stamens and pistils borne in separate flowers, while 
the Rocky Ford variety is hermaphroditic, that is the stamens and 
pistil are produced in one flower. It also has purely staminate 
flowers produced in great profusion at the intersection of nearly 
every branch. 
It is evident that cross-fertilization is readily possible, yet the 
arrangement of the flower and the results of observation would 
indicate that self-pollenization is quite as common or more so. 
The numerical arrangement of the flower was found to vary, 
the three-lobed pistil with three stamens was the common form, 
but four and even five were encountered. The result of a three- 
lobed pistil is shown in No. i in Plate IV. 
methods oe artieiciae eertieization. 
The pollen of the cantaloupe flower has been found to ripen 
about the time the flower is opened and the pollen is usually shed 
at this time, which is usually early in the morning; to fertilize 
the flower and have the results of known origin, it is necessary 
to find the bud about twenty-four hours before it opens (Plate II, 
