770 



EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



provo !in actual connection between the tliickness of the cell wall and the quantity 

 of ash constituents in the steins. The results are regarded as showing with certainty 

 only that large (juantities of phosphoric acid in the fertilizer increased the thickness 

 of the cell wall, and that potash, nitrogen, and lime were in this respect retarding 

 facto i-s. 



The author recommends that, in addition to the different precautions taken to pre- 

 v(^nt lodging, attention should l)e given to the application of fertilizers in this con- 

 lurtion, and that, for instance, when it is necessary to fertilize heavily with lime or 

 nitrogen, suMicient ])hosphoric acid be also applied to counteract the tendency of 

 weakening the stems. 



A list of 17 references bearing on different phases of the cjuestion under consider- 

 ation is given. 



The practical application of Mendel's law in cereal breeding, E. Tsliiermak 

 (Dnit. Landir. Presse, 30 {1903), No. 82, pp. 712, 713).—'Mier a discussion of Mendel's 

 law, the author ])resents observations made in breeding wheat, barley, rye, and oats, 

 lie found in liis work with wheat that the presence and absence of awns, and hairy- 

 ness and smoothness, appeared strictly to follow the law of Mendel, the absence of 

 awns and hairyness being dominant. The recessive characters, j)resence of awns, and 

 smoothness, which appeared in one-fourth of the number of individuals in the 

 second generation, remained constant. In color of head, brown was dominant in 

 the first generation over whitish yellow, l)ut in the second generation numerous 

 intermediate forms apj^eared. The heads relatively darkest and those relatively 

 lightest in color were found most likely to reproduce themselves, but were not con- 

 stant. The relation between long and short, and open and compact, heads and few 

 and many-flowered spikelets, also proved irregular. The author further observed in 

 his experiments that in the first generation long and open heads with a small nundjer 

 of flowers were dominant over short and compact heads with a larger number of 

 blossoms. 



In his work witli barlevs he observed the following i-elation of characters: 



Domiwmt did meters. 



Dark-colored heads. 



Two-rowed. 



Two-rowed. 



Bearded. 



I'>eardless. 



Beardless. 



Normal form of head. 



Nutans type (no transverse furrow across 



base of grain). 

 Long-haired rachilla. 

 (Jlumes, nerves denticulated. 



/I'crr.s.s/rc characlers. 



Light or yellowish color t)i heads. 



Four-i'owetl. 



Six-rowed. 



Hoode<l. 



Bearded. 



Hooded. 



Branched form of head (Ilordeum com- 



positidii ). 

 Erectum type (transverse furrow across 



base of grain). 

 Short-haired rachilla. 

 Glumes, nerves smooth. 



In oats a dark color in the glumes and the seemingly correlative color of the grain 

 were dominant over the light or yellowish color, and the spreading ])annicle over the 

 one-sided form. On account of insufficient data, no conclusions with reference to 

 rye are given. 



References to recent work in plant breeding, C. Fruwirth {.Tour. Landw., 51 

 {1903), ^Yo.s. 2, pp. 223-230; 4, pp. 57i-5<§7).— References are given to 48 recent articles 

 on i)lant breeding, including work with tobacco, flax, potatoes, rape, beets, clover, 

 and cereals. A Ijrief abstract of the article is given in each case. A number of the 

 articles have reference to Mendel's law. 



