)
The eight plants of the first lot were of low stature: three which I measured
attained, when fully grown, the heights of only 28, 29, and 47 inches; whilst
legitimate plants growing close by were double this height, one being 77 inches.
They all betrayed in their general appearance a weak constitution; they flowered
rather later in the season, and at a later age than ordinary plants. Some did
not flower every year; and one plant, behaving in an unprecedented manner, did
not flower until three years old. In the two other lots none of the plants grew
quite to their full and proper height, as could at once be seen by comparing
them with the adjoining rows of legitimate plants. In several plants in all
three lots, many of the anthers were either shrivelled or contained brown and
tough, or pulpy matter, without any good pollen-grains, and they never shed
their contents; they were in the state designated by Gartner as contabescent,
which term I will for the future use. (5/2. 'Beitrage zur Kenntniss der
Befruchtung' 1844 page 116.) In one flower all the anthers were contabescent
excepting two which appeared to the naked eye sound; but under the microscope
about two-thirds of the pollen-grains were seen to be small and shrivelled. In
another plant, in which all the anthers appeared sound, many of the pollen-
grains were shrivelled and of unequal sizes.
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