THE FERTILIZATION OF GENTIANS BY HUMBLE BEES. -The
fringed gentian (Gentiana crinita) resembles the above in having
erect flowers and the .stamens below the stigmas. The fringed
lobes of the corolla spread at right angles. Humble bees work
upon this very much as they do upon Andrews' gentian.

There seems to be almost no end to the various contrivances by
which flowers are fertilized by insects. Flowers closely allied, of
the same genus, are fertilized in different ways, so it is not safe to
make general rules. We may think that insects will act in a certain way, according to our notion, but after carefully watching
them, we shall often see that they are not doing as we supposed
they would. We need many patient observers for many years yet,
to repeat observations made on this subject and to make new ones ;
we want to know how our insects behave upon every species of
flower from the time they first visit it, to the time it affords no
nectar to attract them . -  W. G. BEAL, State Agricultural College,
Lansing, Michigan, Nov. 8, 1873.