PLANT BREEDING AND HYBRIDIZATION. 213 



breeding- the author thinks that an increased 3'ield, irrespective of 

 distinouishing- marks, should ])e the ideal sought. 



A paper on the Correlation between Different Parts of the Plant in 

 Form, Color, and Other Characteristics was read 1)\^ S. A. Beach, of 

 the New York State Station. I^y means of a number of specimens he 

 showed the correlation which exists between different parts of plants. 

 By the proper study of the correlation of form, color, vigor, etc., 

 undesirabl(» material may be eliminated to a great degree while the 

 seedlings are still 3'oung. In this way nmch valuable time and space 

 may be saved. Numerous examples were cited in which this early 

 elimination is possible. Small foliage is said to be usually correlated 

 with small fruit. The texture of the leaf and of the fruit are believed 

 to bo correlated to some degree. Dwarfed seedlings produce poor 

 plants even when given good cultivation. Attention was called to the 

 importanc;e of considering groups of characteristics. In the case of 

 the peach there seems to be a direct relation between the size of the 

 foliage and the size of the fruit, and sufficient evidence is believed to 

 be at hand to show that size and color of foliage and tiow^ers may l)e 

 depended upon in predicting the character of fi'uit. Pale or light 

 colored ])lossoms are usually associated w^th small fruit in apples, 

 while deep color is correlated with larger fruit. Pale foliage in the 

 raspberr}^ is correlated with yellow or light colored fruit, and dark 

 fruit is obtained from plants having dark foliage and canes. Eoses, 

 cannas, and asters generally follow the same lines — pale colored foliage 

 indicating light colored Howers. In comparing these factors, fully 

 matured leaves should always be examined and even then exceptions 

 will l)e noted. A correlation is said to exist })etween the color of the 

 flowers and the seeds of beans, between the color of the roots and 

 stems and the flowers of carnations, between the color of the seed 

 coats and character of plants of peas, etc. There is apparently some 

 correlation between the size of the different organs of plants and 

 possibl}" between their size and color, but as yet the evidence is not 

 sufficient to formulate definitely. 



O. F. Cook, of this Department, discussed Evolution under Domes- 

 tication, claiming that it is not rational to attribute to cuAaronment 

 all of the changes found in plants and animals. 



The Varying Tendency and Individual Prepotency in Garden Vege- 

 tal)les was the subject of a paper by W. W. Tracy, of Detroit, Michi- 

 gan. The author's long experience has enabled him to examine an 

 inmiense number of specimens of different vegetables and note some of 

 their peculiarities. These variations will frequently be api)arent only 

 from a careful study of a great number of plants. It is stated that 

 different plants of the same natural order tend to vary along parallel 

 lines, and variations that are frequently attributed to hybridization are 

 due to ordinarj' variation. Different natural orders of plants are 

 9959— No. 3—02 2 



