C. C. IRISSÏ. — TIIK Al'I'LlCATIO.N OK Tllli l'Ill.NCII'LKS UV CKNKTICS. '211 



forih. A few mighl possibly be duc lo cross fertilisation by insecls, llioiigli in 

 view of the peculiar structure of Ihe flowers such cases musl be exccedingly 

 rare. Out of i l!2 varieties tested at the Station this summer, no less Ihan 

 55 tlirew " rogues " nolwithslanding Ihat ail the stocks were oblained from the 

 most l'eliable sources. One particular kind of " rogue " appeared persislenlly 

 in iiiany dill'erent dwarf wrinUled varieties. It was casily distinguished by its 

 lliin. vetch-like haulm, 1 l/i ft high, short internodes, small leaves and flowers, 

 small curved pods conlaining medium-sized green wrinkled seeds. SIeps 

 hâve been taken to investigate the nature of lliis " rogue ", liie cause of its 

 appearance, and the possibilities of its élimination. 



In the cultivalion of culinary peas great importance is nalurally all.nhcd 

 lo the question of earliness, and it niay be interesling lo note Ihal Ihis sumnior 

 in the 112 varieties (ail sown within 5 days) there was a range of differencc'of 

 o'i days, in the lime of ripening for culinary purposes. 



The question of yield is a most im|)Ortant économie considei'alioii. 



The heaviest croppers appear to be those varicli(^s which bcar liic largest 

 number of pairs of pods. Récent resulls show tii 

 rcal. 



Somc \ariçlics e. g. " N'clocity "' scem l( 

 bear dillerenl proportions of pairs to singles 

 counted on individual plants, 



20 planis of ^'elo(■ily gave 



20 — l'eler l'an 



27 — First of AU ~ 



55 — Primo — 



51 — William b' 



40 — Eight weeks --■ 



20 ~ English \\'onder — 



Thèse facly suggest that the tendency lo |)roduce more pods in jjairs is 

 inherited, and Ihere seems to be no reason why the application of the methods 

 of genelics lo this problem should not prove elfective. Altogelher, this year, 

 521 plants of selected varieties of culinary peas havc been grown singly, and 

 Iheir seeds saved separately with the object of raising honiozygous Unes from 

 which ail rogues hâve been permanently eliminaled. and which \\\i\ Ijear a 

 larger proportion of their pods in pairs. 



The solilary appearance in the 6 i/2 acres of trials, of a single green potl 

 coutaining 5 peas witii purple-tingcd seed-coats isrecorded. 



^^'helher thèse seeds are pathological or normal remains to be seeii. 



At présent they seem to be sound, thougli rallier smallerand more wiiiiivled 

 Ihan their fellow seeds on the same plant. Tlieii' fulun- bcliaviour will lie 

 looked forward to wilh some interest. 



Sku'cI Peas. — Swcet Peas dil'fer from t'.idinary Peas in liie facl Ihal llicir 

 development during the last few years lias been exirrnicly rapid. indecd il is 

 somewhat dilTicult to keep pacc with tiie varions prarlic^d innMcms Ihal ha\i' 

 arisen so quickly and une.xpecledly. Tlie inlroiliK-linn ol' llic |i(i|iniar waxi'd 

 llowcrs knovvn as lh(; " Spencer " Sweel Peas. Iims i rcilcd m icxolnlicni in 

 Sweel Pea urowlnif. and manv of liie " i^i-andilloi-a " liooded varieties, os 



