The following paper was read by C. E. Saunders, 



NOTES ON SOME VARIATIONS IN THE SECOND GEN- 

 ERATION OF BERBERIS HYBRIDS 



Chas. E. Saunders, Experimental Farm, Ottawa, Canada. 



In May, 1894, at the suggestion of Dr. William Saunders, r>i rector of 

 the Experimental Farms of the Dominion of Canada, the writer of this 

 paper crossed Berberis Thunbergii with B. vulgaris purpurea, the former being 

 used as the female. Five flowers were operated upon and five seeds ob- 

 tained. These were sown the following autumn, and from them four strong 

 shrubs were raised, all of which are still living. They are practically identical 

 in all respects, and need not, therefore, be discussed individually. 



The principal characteristics of these hybrids have already been de- 

 scribed in a paper read by Dr. William Saunders before the British Asso- 

 ciation for the Advancement of Science in 1897; and it is therefore unneces- 

 sary, at this time, to refer to them at any length. It may be well, however, 

 to present in tabular form some of the chief points of difference between 

 the hybrids and their parents : 



B. Thunbergii .... 

 B. vulgaris purpurea 

 Hybrids 



X) 3 



1 Rather low 

 < and 

 ( Spread ng 



3 Somewhat 

 I upright 



J Inter- 

 T mediate 





O rt 



Small Green None 



Medium 



Dark 

 purple 



Numerous 



medium Green Very few 



Borne 



sing-ly 



In bunches 

 of 17 to 21 



In bunches 



of 5 to 10 



Oj Q nj 



Scarlet, glossy 

 Dark red, dull 

 Scarlet, dull 



It will be seen from this summary that in alinost every respect the 

 hybrids stand midway between the parents, neither the male nor the female 

 seeming to have exerted a preponderating influence on the progeny. 



As the hybrids all produce seed in considerable quantity there has been 

 no difficulty in raising a second generation of shrubs to the number of about 

 a thousand. These are now growing on the Experimental Farm at Ottawa. 



Uniformity is the striking characteristic of the first generation ; varia- 

 tion is the predominant feature of the second. While many of the seedlings 

 are not yet old enough to bear blossoms and fruit, they have already shown 



