Shamel: Variation in Artichokes 



309 



of the plants are extremely striking. 

 Owing to the large size and fantastic 

 shapes of some of the leaves, this 

 condition, providing easy comparison 

 of leaf forms, is particularly interesting 

 to those concerned with a study of bud 

 variations. In Fig. 10 are shown some 

 of the variable leaves borne by the same 

 plant. Some of the plants in this 

 field apparently present much greater 

 variability than others. In some cases 

 all of the leaves of the plant are com- 

 paratively uniform in size and shape 

 while in others the leaves are extremely 

 variable, ranging in shape from a single 

 narrow blade to very finely pinnate 

 forms, and in size from 1 to 4 feet in 

 length. The scales of the flower heads 

 vary in shape, size and color. 



SELECTION PROMISES RESULTS 



It seems probable that by careful 

 selection of suckers from select plants, 

 strains can be isolated in which the 

 plants will produce a larger nrraiber of 

 flower heads than ordinarily with a much 

 larger proportion of edible matter and, 

 as a consequence, be much iiTLproved 

 for commercial cultivation. 



Owing to the fact that the artichoke 

 is very easily grown, at least under 

 such conditions as those at Riverside, 

 and furnishes a valuable vegetable, 

 it seems that its planting in heme 



gardens should be encouraged. The 

 plants are very ornamental as well as 

 useful and where it is possible to grow 

 them, they constitute a desirable addi- 

 tion to the list of varieties of vegetables. 

 The artichoke is now grown to a very 

 limited extent in gardens on Long 

 Island, in Connecticut and Massa- 

 chusetts, and can probably be grown 

 successfully in other northern districts 

 providing the crowns are protected 

 during the winter months. If a large 

 planting is planned the rows should be 

 about four feet apart and the plants 

 set about three feet apart in the row. 

 In the beginning it seems best, probably, 

 to start with one, or at most but few 

 plants, which can be purchased from 

 seedmen or growers, then propagate 

 the remainder of the garden from 

 offsets by selecting those which have the 

 fewest spines and whose leaf char- 

 acteristics are correlated with the pro- 

 duction of the largest number of most 

 desirable heads. In this locality the 

 plants may be set out from March to 

 June and during the months of August 

 and vSeptember. It seems probable 

 that the plantations should be renewed 

 every three or four years. 



This paper is presented for the pur- 

 pose of calling attention to an oppor- 

 tunity for the improvement of a valuable 

 vegetable variety through bud selection. 



The Egg Production of White Leghorns 



The egg production of unsekcted 

 White Leghorns averages about 130 

 for the first year, 120 for the second, 

 and less than 110 for the third, drops 

 to 85 in the fourth year and falls about 

 10 eggs a year after this up to the 

 eighth year, according to Bulletin 148 

 of the Utah Experiment Station. 

 Selected flocks have averaged 160 in 

 America and 190 in Australia. The 

 first-year production of a flock of 

 White Leghorns is no indication of their 

 total production: if it is high, the 

 second year will be low, while if it is 

 low the second will be high. The 

 total production in three years will be 

 about the same. If the first year 



record of a flock is high, selection of- the 

 high layers will materially improve the 

 later production of the flock. If the 

 record of the pullet year is low, there 

 will be little value in selection, as even 

 the lowest producer wall make a second- 

 year record above the general average. 

 The average life of a White Leghorn 

 appears to be about six years. The 

 average production of the fourth year 

 (eighty-five eggs) is equal to the 

 average production given for hens of all 

 ages in the United States. The average 

 total production of a White Leghorn 

 hen, during her entire life, is above 

 500 eggs, and may rise as high as 

 1,000. 



