(56

Lobelia fulgens. 18 flowers crossed with pollen from distinct plant yielded 16 good pods — 13 fert. with pollen of same flower, (preserved till stigma expanded) set only 6. But in these pods, the seed judging by eye was nearly equal in number with the seed in crossed Pods. — Nov 18'— 3 Pots sowed with both seed.—

(April 23 68. These are only 2 plants, one on each side, now as big as half-a-crown & equal.)

(May 17' In Pot I — only a pair crossed 4 inches to tip of leaves

Self 5 1/2 [do] [do] do.

Pot II. young-seedlings selfs finer & more numerous

Pot III 2 or 3 self alone have come up.

What can be cause of badness of crossed: could it have been too fresh pollen.— (In all 3 Pots the self flowered considerably before the crossed Plants

(July 9' 68.

Crossed— Pot I. 12	Self 20 1/2 going to flower.} tallest plant on each side
do do Sept 30 68. 33 inches	50 inches—now fully grown & done flowering
Nov 6 Pot II 36 1/2	38 1.2 Both plant in full flower
Pot III.          21 not flowered	43 inch, after done flowering.—

April. 1. 1869. The above Pot I were repotted in larger pot without beng disturbed, & now plant have grown again & the selfs again very much finer & taller plants. —

Aug. 30' 1869. The crossed Selfs have sent up several stems nearly of same height of which tallest is XXX /over

[56v]

It is extraordinary that crossing shd had produced no good in fertility during either year or in growth during 68, seeing that these plants almost inevitably must be crossed in state of nature see T. H. Farrer in Annals & Mag of Nat. Hist. Oct. 1868.—

Mem. Gärtner shows that these plants are sometimes oddly affected by culture so as to be completely self-sterile, & this makes case again odder—

XXX 42 50 inches high, & the tallest self Crossed only 30 4/8 high!!!

Oct 17. 1869 growth of same plants Pot I on both sides complete.

Two highest stems {

Crossed 29. 4/8 30. 1/8

Self 49.4 49.6

 

(57

Lobelia fulgens. Fresh Crosses. Augt or Sept 1868

(10 flowers were fertilised rather late in season by pollen from same plant & not same flower; so pollen on average equally old or fresh as with crossed flowers. — produced 9 pods with moderate number of seed.

(8 flowers were crossed with distinct plant & produced only 6 pods, of which only 4 contained as many seeds as the better self-fert, pods — So no gain in fertility.)

(April 1 1869 The crossed seed have germinated far more freely, or in greater proportion than the self-fert. seed.)

Hence & from accidents I succeeded in getting only one pair of equal age — (This is a second & independent sowing)

Aug 30 1869 {Crossed Self          35 inches 6/8 — high          & now in full flower — {self Crossed 12 inches high & not yet in flower

[57v]

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(57A

Lobelia fulgens. 1869.— summer.

Tall self Plants & short crossed Plants regrowing in Pot I (given on p. 56.) were fertilised; viz 13 were crossed between the distinct plants in same Pot, & all produced pods — 10 were self.-fert with pollen from same plant, but not from same flower, so pollen equally mature & they produced 9 pods—

The 7 Po crossed & self pods from the Tall Plants were compared in watch-glasses & crossed contained rather most seed— But 2 crossed & 2 self from Shorter plants, (i.e. crossed plant) contained more seed in the self-pods — on the whole no marked difference in fertility. —

These seeds wd not germinate on naked sand; 10 were sown on opposite sides; & these plants were thinned whilst very young so as to leave equal numbers on both sides of same size & growth. In a few pots (always marked) very young plants were transplanted to the 2 sides; but this was done so early that I think no injury cd. have been caused.—

These plants to be raised of self- & crossed plants origin are the second generation of both crossed & selfs.─

(57 B

Lobelia fulgens. August 29 1870. Plants raised from seed of last page. Measured to tips of Leaves, Aug 29th 1870

Nov 2d 1870 & afterwards to tips of flower stems

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Measured to base of calyx. — White wool means not flowered this autumn.

57B

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(57 C

Lob. fulgens. Aug. 27 — 1871.— The same plants as on last page, remeasured as all did not flower again, & repotted, but not disturbed.

with respect to this Lobelia, I conclude that crossing does no good, & consequently, that it is depend on mere chance which side gets a start, & we know that when one side does start, it generally quite beat other side.

N. B. As plants cannot now be distinguished, I counted 3 or 4 tallest flower-stem, to base of calyx, on opposite sides, not knowing whether from same or from several plants

57C

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p 57B

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