832 EXPEEIMENT STATION EECOED. 



measurements of the stoma ta found near the center of the leaves, 50 from 

 each variety. The average lengths for 1911 were 0.063 mm., and for 1912, 0.0735 

 mm., classed as large celled, while small celled ones averaged 0.054 mm. in 1911 

 and 0.0G7 mm. in 1912. There was found to be no relation between length of 

 stomata and leaf surface. 



The authors coutirnied the work of other Investigators that the higher the 

 leaf on the stalk and the greater its distance from the root system the greater 

 was the number of stomata per unit of surface, with a consequent decrease in 

 the size of the stomata. The number of stomata on the upper surface of oats, 

 as well as of wheat, was found to be greater than on the lower surface. There 

 seemed to be no correlation between the size of the stofuata and the vegetative 

 period, the tillering ability, rust resistance, or productivity of the oat plant. 



The inheritance of certain characters in beets and turnips: I, Beets, B. 

 Kajanus (Ztschr. Pflanzen~ucht., 1 (1913), No. 2, pp. 125-186. pis. 6).— In this 

 article the author discusses moi'e fully work done since 1907 along this line, 

 wh'ch has been previously mentioned (E. S. II., 27, pp. 33, 533). To this is 

 added the results of 1912 in further studying the behavior of form and color 

 characters in the genus Beta. 



Conclusions are drawn from observations of various generations of crosses, in 

 which the numerous forms and colors found and explained by presenting as alter- 

 natives 2 theories, one that there are present a great number of genetic factors 

 which work together in different ways, and the other that there are a great num- 

 ber of factors which are very changeable. It is noted that with Beta, through 

 continued selection of the segregated types which to a considerable degree are 

 stable, all types may be developed from any one type. Repeated isolations of 

 the individuals seemed to weaken the germ and seed-bearing ability of the 

 plant. Constancy in type seemed to be reached most readily when selection was 

 coupled with cross-fertilization of similar plants, as by isolation the form char- 

 acters appeared to segregate rapidly in the offspring. The number and size 

 of the leaves seemed to be correlative with structure of the root, and the degree 

 of their red or yellow color corresponded to that of the root. 



On the relation between the siig'ar content of the root and the chemical 

 characters of the descendants of a mother beet in the first g'eneration, K. 

 AndrlIk and J. Ueean (Orig. Commun. 8. Internat. Cong. Appl. Chem. {Wash- 

 ington and New York], 25 (1912), Sects. I-Ve, App., pp. 511, 512).— The aver- 

 age sugar content decreased according to the average decrease in dry matter, 

 and conversely, both with the roots and with the leaves. A slight increase in 

 the ash content of the roots corresponded to an increased sugar content, while 

 this relation was more marked with the ash of the leaves, and vice versa. An 

 increase in the sugar content of the roots showed a corresponding or slightly 

 greater increase in the nitrogen of the roots and leaves. 



Variability in the appropriation of nitrogen by the descendants of a seed- 

 bearing beet in the first generation, K. AndrlIk and J. Urban (Orig. Commun. 

 8. Internat. Cong. Appl. Chem. [Washington and Nciv York], 25 (1912), Sects. 

 I-Ve, App., p. 513). — This paper notes that the range of variability in the appro- 

 priation of nitrogen of individuals in the same line was as high as 202.C per 

 cent of the general average in that line, which amounted to 1.9S gm. per plant. 

 The quantity of sugar carried by the roots of the line studied showed equally 

 wide variation. The proiX)rtion of nitrogen appropriated to 100 parts sugar 

 varied greatly between the individuals, the range reaching 81.8 per cent of the 

 general average, which in this generation was 3.67 parts in 100 parts of sugar 

 per plant. The individuals richest in sugar appropriated on the average 

 less nitrogen, and vice versa. 



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