. Canadian journal of agricultural science. Agricultural Institute of Canada; Agriculture. 28 .SCI K X Tl F I (• A (i R [ C U L T U RE Jamiarv, 1921. Liiocrm' (McdicMjo falccda). In otlior words, conspi- cuous differences in the seed-producing capacity of individual plants are common occurrences in the so- called variegated alfalfas, iucludin<i' Grimm's, Onta- rio Variegated, IJaltie, Cossack, and others. It is difficult, indeed, to explain the existing variations in the seed-producing of different types except by assuming that the female reproductive organs in some types are norma
. Canadian journal of agricultural science. Agricultural Institute of Canada; Agriculture. 28 .SCI K X Tl F I (• A (i R [ C U L T U RE Jamiarv, 1921. Liiocrm' (McdicMjo falccda). In otlior words, conspi- cuous differences in the seed-producing capacity of individual plants are common occurrences in the so- called variegated alfalfas, iucludin<i' Grimm's, Onta- rio Variegated, IJaltie, Cossack, and others. It is difficult, indeed, to explain the existing variations in the seed-producing of different types except by assuming that the female reproductive organs in some types are normal while in others they are more or less degenerated or even wholly incapable of func- tion. A investigation of the sexual cells of the pistil of different alfalfa types would no doubt be productive of many iutei-esting results. While the failure to set seed in many cases may be attributed to lack of sexual vigour in the female organs, it must not be forgotten that failure to pro- duce seed also be due to impotent or more or less abnormal pollen being ile])0sited on the pistil. In 1911, the writer had an opjiortunity to make some ob- servations, for the first time, on tlie character of the pollen in a verj^ large number of different types found in a field of Grimm's alfalfa at the Experimental Sta- tion, Lethbridge, Alta. It was observed that, while in the majority of examined the pollen appeared to l)e normal, heavj', of full colour, and sticky as it generally is in plants pollinated by , there were quite a few types in which the pollen was abnormally pale, light and almost as dust-like as grass pollen. That latter type of pollen was very inferior to the normal one. Numerous observations of a similar nature have since been made and there appears to be no doubt hut that the male organs in many alfalfa types are imperfectly developed. It is obvious, then, that no attempt should be made to fix an alfalfa , to develop it
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