-88 Floristik etc. — Angewandte Botanik. 



resting conclusion that the course of evolution of the sub-tribes 

 which he suggested in New Phyt. XVI p. 218 is confirmed by the 

 study of the irritability of the pollen-presentation mechanism. 



Agnes Arber (Cambridge). 



Howard, A., G. L. C. Howard and A. R. Khan. S tu dies in 

 Indian oil seeds N° 1 Safflower and mustard. (Mem. Dep 

 Agr. India Bot. Series. VII. p. 237—272. 1915.) 



1. Safflower [Carthamus tinctorius) is widely cultivated in 

 India both for the red dye obtained from its flowers and for the 

 oil in the seeds. In discussing the biology of the flower the authors 

 conclude that seif pollination is likely to be the rule but that a fair 

 percentage (from experiments 16%) of natural crossing also occurs. 

 A very füll Classification and description of types is given showing 

 that the plant exhibits a considerable ränge of Variation in form and 

 colour. 



The investigation shows that there is no antagonism between 

 colour producing capacity and oil yielding properties but that these 

 are inherited independantly of one another. 



From an economic Standpoint however there is no likelihood of 

 the natural dye being able to complete successfully with synthetic 

 products and the chief value of the crop is undoubtably oil. 



Where the crop is of sufficient importance its improvement as 

 to oil yield should be a comparatively simple matter. Methods of 

 selection and the organising of distribution of better varieties are 

 regarded as the most profitable lines to work on. 



2. Indian mustard {Brassica juncea). The distribution of the 

 plant and its importance compared with other Indian oil seed crops 

 is first dealt with. A study of the biology of the flower shows that 

 seif pollination is the rule although crossing will take place also. 

 Artificial crosses with various types show that 



1) when tall is crossed with short, F x is sometimes taller than 

 the tall parent and sometimes intermediate in height, 



2) when plants with close and spreading pods are crossed to- 

 gether, the close arrangement is that prevailing in the progeny, 



3) Indian mustards with divided leaves crossed with Burma 

 forms having entire leaves give an intermediate in F x while a series 

 is obtained in F 2 , 



4) late forms crossed with early give an intermediate F v 



The only directum for improvement is in regard to increase in 

 yield of seeds, since questions of quality do not arise. In the opi- 

 nion of the Authors nothing is to be gained by hybridisation until 

 the great possibilities of selection have been exhausted. A descrip- 

 tion and Classification of the types available for this purpose is 

 given in considerable detail. 



It is pointed out that there are considerable difficulties in intro- 

 ducing new varieties in this particular case owing to 1) the crop 

 being seif sown 2) the seeds remaining a long time in the ground 

 in a viable condition and germinating a few at a time every year. 



W. Neilson Jones. 



-A-usgegeben : 29 October 1918. 



Verlag von Gustav Fischer in Jen«. 

 Buchdruckerei A. W. Sijthoff in Leiden. 



