AGRICULTURAL BOTANY. 229 



A quantitative study of variation, natural and induced, in pure lines 

 of Silene noctiflora, E. P. Humbert (Ztschr. Imluktive Abstam. u. Vererbungs- 

 lehre, // (I'Jll), No. 5-4, pp. 161-226, figa. 11).— A study is reported of three 

 generations of a pure Hue of 8. noctiflora, about 7,500 plants being measured 

 for height, width, and number of branches and seed pods per plant. The in- 

 vestigations included studies of the influence of chemical injections on varia- 

 tion, effectiveness of selection in pure lines, bud variation, and the influence of 

 food supply on variation. 



So far as the author's experiments go, it appears that the injection of chemi- 

 cal stimulants in the developing ovary did not produce mutations, although 

 such injections did produce in many instances a marked increase In the varia- 

 bility of the species. 



. In his study of the effectiveness of the selection in pure lines, little evidence 

 was found of the inheritance of the characters of height, number of branches, 

 or number of seed pods. Some variation was noted, but not enough to war- 

 rant the description of mutants. 



In considering bud variation, in the cases studied the buds were found to 

 vary almost as much on single plants as they did on different individuals. 



In studying the influence of food supply on variation it was found that good 

 soil gave less variability and a greater correlation of characters than did poor 

 soil. Other factors, as moisture, temperature, and physical condition of the 

 soil, probably had some influence, but under the conditions of the experiments 

 an increase in food supply decreased rather than increased variability in S. 

 noctiflora. 



On inheritance of a mutation in the common foxglove, Edith R. Saunders 

 (New PJiytol., 10 {1911), No. 1-2, pp. Jf7-63, pi. 1, figs. 12).— A description is 

 given of inheritance observed in a form of the foxglove to which the name 

 Digitalis purpurea heptandra is given. 



This form of the plant is characterized by the splitting and staminody of the 

 corolla, and these characteristic features appeared to be transmitted by hep- 

 tandrous plants to all their offspring. The degree in which these peculiarities 

 were exhibited varied not only among the individuals of a pure-bred family, but 

 also among the flowers of single individuals. There is said to be some indica- 

 tion that the degree of heptandry exhibited may be influenced by external con- 

 ditions, among which, variations in amount of light and moisture are probably 

 to be considered. D. purpurea heptandra was found to behave in respect to the 

 type as recessive to dominant. 



Seeds and plants imported during the period from January 1 to March 31, 

 1910.— Inventory No. 22 (U. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Plant Indus. Bui. 207, pp. 

 100). — This inventory is a report on 1,010 introductions by the OflBce of Foreign 

 Seed and Plant Introduction during the period indicated. In addition to a con- 

 siderable amount of material received from miscellaneous collectors, it also lists 

 a large number of species secured from the Caucasus by F. N. Meyer, agricul- 

 tural explorer. 



Seeds and plants imported during the period from April 1 to June 30, 

 1910.— Inventory No. 23 (U. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Plant Indus. Bui. 208, pp. 

 88). — This inventory contains accounts of material collected by F. N. Meyer in 

 the Caucasus, together with a large number of plants obtained through various 

 sources, a total of 844 introductions being listed. 



