(119

Abutilon from seed from St Catharina F. Muller, who fd it self-sterile — either nov. sp. or var. of virescum; will know at Kew. — I raised several plants, which flowered very early in year 1871 — at best about 20 flowers were self-fert, & fertilised with pollen from other flowers on same plants but not one produced a pod for a long time. Theref Whereas almost every 13 flowers crossed (& 19 were crossed) by pollen from other plants produced pods: some of the failures were no doubt due to the sterile plant below matured having had some flowers crossed. Nevertheless in early part of May & in June the plants did begin to yield spontaneously

some pods with own pollen but the

Therefore 16 flowers were self-fert on one plant & they yielded 5 pods; these

pods were poor, 5 of them yielding only 17 seed, whereas 4 crossed pods taken by chance yielded 86 seed. — Whilst the plants were self-sterile, I found after 27 hours pollen-tubes from own pollen penetrating stigma. —(One plant was absolutely sterile whether crossed or self-fert) — Some uncovered plants were visited by Bombus, & produced pods early in season in hot-house. —