J. \aKGA8 KvRK and (j1. 8.MITI1 193 



raised which again only diffci- tVoni L. iiuniof/i/iiiini in thai Ihcysliow 

 no signs of coining into hlooui. 



In addition to these experiments with isolated plants observations 

 have been made of the character of the plants raised out of doors on a 

 number of plots where considerable cpiantities of difl'ei'ent vai'ieties of 

 Hax have been grown. These variety trials of conunercially grown seed 

 have been conducted during several years and have afforded an 

 opportunity for watching any changes which might occur in the 

 character of any particular variety. 



It has been mentioned already in a previous publication (loc. cit.) 

 that in certain tiax-gmwing districts the opinion pi'evails that tlax is 

 unstable, readil)' losing certain of its characters when grown repeatedly 

 in those regions. It is stated for example in certain parts of Central 

 Russia that besides changes in habit, the colour of the flower changes. 

 Little information of a reliable character bearing on these points being 

 available and in view of their importance in connection with attempts 

 which have been made concurrently with this work to isolate improved 

 strains of Hax for commercial purposes, it was decided to make use of 

 the material at hand to test the truth of these statements. 



On many of the flax plots grown in 1912 it was observed that a 

 small proportion of white flowering plants accompanied those bearing 

 blue flowers, whereas on other ])lots the plants were either entirely blue 

 or entirely white.: flowering. When the seed from the white flowei-ing 

 plants accompanying the blue were collected separately, without 

 " bagging," and sown in 191-S, plants bearing white flowers only 

 resulted, and seed collected from the blue flowering plants gave only- 

 blue flowers. Examples of this kind were met in the case of L. usita- 

 tissimum from Vologda, Pskoff and Holland, and also in the case of the 

 so-called varieties of this species, namely L. chamissonis i'vom Valencia, 

 L. multiflorum from Heidelberg and several others. 



Besides this difference in the colour of the flowers there was 

 noticed also with some of the varieties grown a dift'erence in the depth 

 of the colour of the flowers, some being of a darker shade of blue than 

 others which occur alongside on the same plot. L. Jioccosuia furnished 

 one example of this kind, and the large seeded variety of linseed which 

 is imported from N. Africa another example, where a difference in the 

 intensity of colour extends not only to the flowers but also to the 

 foliage of the plant ; some bearing pale green, others dark green 

 leaves. 



Journ. of Gen. v 13 



