MAIZE WITH SILKS MATURING BEFORE THE TASSELS. 





ment. Before the value of a variety possessing novel characteristics 

 can be determined it should be tried in a great variety of different 

 conditions and in combination with different varieties. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY. 



The two original ears secured by Mr. Swingle, though apparently 

 belonging to the same general type, showed obvious differences. 



Ear No. 1 (fig. 1) was 12 cm. long, 13 

 cm. in circumference, rather abruptly 

 tapering, and with 20 somewhat ir- 

 regular rows of small, rounded grains. 

 The pericarp was wine colored or gar- 

 net. A few of the seeds of this ear 

 had a colored aleurone visible beneath 

 the colored pericarp. The stigmas were 

 persistent after the manner of the 

 "rice" varieties, but the seeds were 

 not beaked. The cob was a dirty red. 

 Ear No. 2 (fig. 2) was 16 cm. long, 

 10.5 cm. in circumference, more nearly 

 cylindrical, and with 16 regular rows. 

 The pericarp was much lighter than in 

 ear No. 1, almost a brick red. The 

 stigmatic point was apparent, but no 

 portion of the stigma remained at- 

 tached to the seed. The cob was col- 

 ored, but was of a lighter shade than 

 that of ear No. 1. 



Ears Nos. 1 and 2 have been num- 

 bered 34426 and 34427, respectively, in 

 the seed and plant introduction series of 

 the Department of Agriculture. 



Seeds from each of the ears were 

 planted in separate rows and 62 plants 

 grew to maturity. The plants were 

 strong, vigorous, and unusually uniform 

 (fig. 3). Aside from the proterogynous 

 habit, the most striking characteristic 

 of the type was the dense clustering of 

 the spikelets toward the end of the 

 branches of the tassel. To make pos- 

 sible a quantitative statement of this 

 tendency, the uppermost branch of the 

 tassel of each plant was divided at the middle and the spikelets 

 of the two halves counted. It was found that on the average 



[Cir. 107] 











5B*ffi«!^«a 



Fig. 1.— Proterogynous variety of maize. 

 Ear No. 1. (Natural size.) 



