the necessity of staminate plants among the pistillate, to produce, or perfect the _fruit_. No doubt, the pistils must be fertilized, in order to produce _seeds_ that will vegetate. But what do those gentlemen understand, by the “_fruit_?” Do they mean the little single-seeded _akenes_ or _nutlets_, which are sprinkled over the enlarged pulpy receptacle,—or do they refer to the _receptacle itself_, which in popular parlance is intended by the term “_fruit_?” If they have reference to the _real fruit_—the _nutlets_ which contain the seed,—there is probably no question (as already intimated) about the necessity of staminate influence to produce perfect fruit. But I have a suspicion, that by the term “_fruit_,” they mean the delicious _receptacle_ which bears the fruit, and if they mean to allege that the pistils must be fertilized by the stamens, _in order to produce that enlargement of the receptacle_ which affords an _esculent substitute_ for fruit,—then I have only to say, it is a _question of fact_ which I have had no adequate opportunity to determine; and concerning which I, for one, should be happy to receive reliable information. To ascertain the point satisfactorily, would require very careful experiments and observations. Whether such have been made, I am not informed. I may remark, however, by way of _analogy_, that there are instances in which _pistils_, and even _receptacles_, are enlarged, where no staminate influence has been exerted. The conglomorate coalescent _pistils_ of the Osage Orange (_Maclura_,) for example, attain to their full natural size (although the _seeds_ are necessarily imperfect,) where no staminate plant is in the neighborhood; and, what affords a closer analogy, the including _receptacle_ of the _pistillate Fig_ is fully developed; when entirely free from any staminate influence. Whether the _receptacle_ of the _Strawberry_ ever enlarges, without the pistils being fertilized, (as already stated,) is more than I can tell; but I feel well assured, that any competent authority, who may furnish the information, will make an acceptable contribution to physiological Botany. W. D. _West Chester, June 6, 1853._ THE STRAWBERRY QUESTION.