270 



The Journal of Heredity 



RADISH-CABBAGE HYBRID WHILE YOUNG 



The growth habit of both parents is similar to that here shown, when they are young. Later 

 the cabbage "heads up" and the radish does not; the hybrid followed the radish in this 

 respect, but did not develop any tuberous root such as the radish produces. (Fig. 14.) 



cabbage leaf is much thicker than that 

 of the radish : leaves of the cross are in- 

 termediate between the two. 



It would seem likely that the hybrid 

 would inherit some tendency towards 

 tuberous root formation from its radish 

 parent, but such did not seem to be the 

 case. The hybrid does not even show a 

 well developed main tap root, but 

 divides into numerous branches at a 

 short distance below the surface. 

 HThe stem of this hybrid is several 

 times larger than the combined stems 

 of the two parents. When the hybrid 

 reached the size shown in figure 15, the 

 circumference of the stem was 133^2 

 inches, measured at a distance of one 

 foot from the ground. The stem holds 

 its size for some distance from the root. 

 The lower part or about the first two 

 feet of the stem is very thickly beset 

 with leaves, thus resembling the cabbage 

 in habit. These leaves drop off on 



account of shade from above, lea\dng 

 large and prominent scars. Starting 

 from the surface of the ground, the 

 major portion of the stem is a ptirplish 

 red color just the same as that of the 

 radish, but this purphsh red color 

 covers the stem of the hybrid much 

 more thoroughly and extends further 

 up than it does on the radish parent. 



GROWTH HABIT. 



When still young the general growth 

 habit of the radish and of the cabbage 

 is quite similar. It is a spreading, diffuse 

 growth. It is not long, however, 

 before the cabbage begins to head up 

 and packs most of its leaves into a solid, 

 bud-like formation. Some time after 

 this head reaches maturity, the bud 

 begins growing in the center, b}^ its 

 development l^rcaks the head open, and 

 then grows upward rai)idly, lacing nour- 

 ished on the food stored in the thick leaves. 



