
* No, 33;] | 228 
apparent. These plants showed by their fruits that they were from 
cross-fertilized seeds. 
In the fruit of some of our tomato plants also we noticed variations 
so marked that we could only account for them by the theory of cross- 
fertilization. It has been claimed that the flowers of the tomato are 
cross-fertilized only by art. Upon inquiry, however, we find that 
some of our best seed-growers believe that the varieties will inevitably 
mix if grown in close proximity. ‘This may account in part for the 
unfixity that exists in so many varieties of tomato. 
In the report of the Assistant it will be seen that many of the va- 
rieties of bean grown the past season show unmistakable evidences of 
cross-fertilization. 
In order to note how common is the tendency to. cross-fertilization 
in different species of plants, we, last season, gathered seeds of many 
of our cultivated flowers, by color; that is, putting in one package 
only the seeds from flowers of a particular shade or combination of 
shades. The samples gathered were numerous, embracing the dif- 
ferent shades of balsam, petunia, zinnia, phlox, dianthus and aster. 
_ These seeds were planted last spring, and but two of the samples pro- 
duced plants of which all that were permitted to blossom bore flowers 
of a uniform shade, and in one of these the shade was entirely dif- 
ferent from that of the parent fflower. ‘I'he case which seemed to 
come true was a single sample of aster. 
It would appear from this that, at least in our common flower-garden 
plants, cross-fertilization is the rule. 
During the past summer we have noted that the flowers of nearly 
all of our vegetables are frequented by insects, the humble-bee in par- 
ticular. We are informed by those who grow peas for seed that even 
in this plant, in which, as we have already noted, the petals seem to 
inclose entirely the organs of fructification, cross-fertilization some- 
times occurs. It seems entirely safe to say that as a rule, to which 
there are a few exceptions, different varieties of vegetables are sure to 
become mixed if grown for seed adjacent to each other. In considera- 
tion of this fact, we are inclined to wonder that purchased seeds so 
often produce plants true to type. 
SYNONYMS. 
We present the names of the various vegetables grown which we 
_ believe to be synonyms, in condensed form, as follows : 
We have marked those in which we desire to repeat our observa- 
tions with the interrogation point. 
Beet.— Dark Red Egyptian ; Eclipse; Mammoth Long Red Man- 
gel) Norbition Giant ; Long Red Mangel; Henderson’s Colossal Long 
Red. 3 
Cabbage.— Schweinfurt; Large White Schweinfurt; Schweinfurt 
~ Quintal ; Quintal Drumhead ; Strasburg Quintal. 
~ Carrot.— Early French Scarlet Forcing ; Gartier’s Red Horn (?); 
Extra Early Forcing (grown in 1882) ; Early Horn (?). 
Egg Plant.— 'Tomato-shaped Red; T’omato-formed Red; Scarlet 
Chinese; Long White China; White Long Chinese. 
Lettuce.— All the Year Round, Black Seeded Satisfaction, Sala- 
_mander; Prize Head, Ferry’s Harly Prize Head; American Gathering; 
Frankfort Head, Gray Seeded Butter; Hardy Green Winter, Ham- 
 mersmith Hardy Green; Large Princess Head, French Imperial Head, 
