120 



fonsist of all the sin'cics and varieties so far ohtaiiialile. Tliese must 

 first be testetl for ideiititj' before anj' extensive breeding operations can 

 be performed, riiysiologieal tests liave l)p?ii made which indicate great 

 differences in tlie toxicity of some of the more accuiately iiauu'd species and 

 varieties. Thongli more strictly biennial in habit, it lias been found possi- 

 ble to bring a number of the varieties into flower the same year from seed, 

 thereby shortening any breeding operations by one year. 



It has been interesting and valual)le to follow the effects of Indiana 

 soil and climate upon the medicinal value of Cannabis ludica. This is an 

 imported drug consisting of the flowering tops of Cannabis .sativa L. It 

 always contains more or less seeds of high percentage germination. Re- 

 located tests have been made upon material obtained from plants grown 

 from seed found in shipments of high testing drug. Without exception 

 tliese tests have shown a decrease of from 40% to 00% in value as com- 

 pared with the original shipments from which the seeds were obtained. 

 One strain has been continued under cultivation in the same locality and 

 upon the same soil for four consecutive years, and its value as indicated 

 by physiological tests has fluctuated between 40% and 65%. This fluctua- 

 tion has been intermittent, and not in the nature of a regular annual in- 

 crease or decrease. During this time, however, a marked improvement has 

 resulted in the size and character of the inflorescence. By selec-tion this 

 has ))ecome heavier, more compact, larger and less leafy. A dwarf form 

 iias also resulted which w(juld greatly simplify the process of collection. 



Figures No. I, II. Ill and l\ show some of the experimental plots, and 

 convey some idea of the scale upon ^^•hich the work is being done. Large 

 numbers of plants are being used, and these are observed throughout the 

 entire growing season before any selections are made. In this manner 

 tlie entire life iiistory of the plant from the earliest seedling stage to 

 maturity is made to serve as a record I'ldin which intelligent selections 

 can be made. 



J)ci)artinent of Jtotani,', 



Eli Lilly cf ComixiniJ, i ii(iit(H(iii'iUs, hid. 



