A quantitative study of the factors influencing the weight of the 
bean seed—II. Correlation between number of pods 
per plant and seed weight 
J. ARTHUR HARRIS 
(WITH FOUR TEXT FIGURES) 
I. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS 
This study, like the one which preceded it,* presents a portion 
of the results of an attempt to express in quantitative terms the 
influence of the various differentiable factors to which the weight 
of the bean seed is due. 
Such an investigation has a three-fold significance: (a) it has 
the’ biological interest common to studies in developmental 
mechanics; (0) it forms a part of the system of physiological data 
on seed production which can never be too detailed or precise as a 
foundation for economic science; (c) it pertains to a character 
which through the theories of Johannsen and _ his followers has 
assumed a prominent place in genetic literature. 
In the first paper I considered the correlation between the 
characteristics of the pod (number of ovules laid down, number of 
seeds matured, and position of seed in the pod) and seed weight. 
In this place I propose to deal with the problem of the relationship 
between the size of the plant, as measured by the number of fertile 
pods produced, and seed weight. These constants will be com- 
pared with these showing the relationship between the number of 
pods per plant and pod characteristics, already published. 
II. MATERIALS AND METHODS 
The materials upon which the present discussion are based 
comprise 78,975 individually weighed seeds, derived from 15,897 
plants, belonging to 27 experimental cultures, representing 5 
Harris, J. Arthur. A quantitative study of the factors influencing the weight 
of the bean seed. I. Intra-ovarial correlations. Beih. Bot. Centralbl. 323: 1-12. 
pl. 1-4. 1913. See also: The influence of position in the pod upon the weight of 
the bean seed. Amer. Nat. 49: 44-47. f. I-4- 1913- 
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