AN INVESTIGATION UPON CERTAIN METRICAL 

 ATTRIBUTES OF WHEAT PLANTS. 



By F. L. ENGLEDOW, M.A. 



PIkh/ Breeding liiiilituk', Sc/khiI of Agrioiltiire, Caiiihr'uhjc. 



AND J. P. SHELTON, 



Farrer Memorial Scholar, Sydiw//. 



( 'ONTENTS. 



PAGE 



§ T. Introdiu'tiun ........... 197 



§11. Material and iMethod 199 



§ 111. The Ghime-Longtli : Raeliis-Leiigtii Ratio 200 



§ I\'. Concerning the Inter-relatiunshij) of the Tillers of a I'lant in regard 



to certain Measurable Characters ...... 202 



§ V. The Relation of Weight of Seed Sown to the Resulting Phint . . 203 



Conclusions ........... 204 



Bibliography 205 



§ I. Introduction. 



In dealing with the Inheritance of Ghmie-Leugth (Engledowii)] there 

 were encountered certain problems relating to metrical characters. As 

 it appeared that these problems must attach to all genetic work upon a 

 metrical basis, they were made the subject of a separate inve.stigation. 

 A simple account of some of the difficulties experienced in connection 

 with Glume-Length Inheritance will serve to formulate the problems. 



It is necessary first to set forth the reasons which lefl to a genetic 

 investigation upon glume-length. To the glume itself no intrinsic interest 

 attached. The prime motive was to forge some sharper weapon than 

 eye-judgment for the separation of "genetic types" mF^fi etc., and for 

 more critical study of segregation. Rigid measurement, and classification 

 solely by measurement, might, it was felt, provide such a weapon. Alike 

 to eye-judgment and to measurement, "fluctuation" was certain to be 

 an obstacle; but both observation and inference united to suggest that 

 the length of the glume of the wheat plant was less liable to fluctuation 

 than were most of its other observable attributes. There was the addi- 

 tional advantage that glume-length could be measured accurately and 



