40G NEW JERSEY AGEICULTURAL COLLEGE 



fnjo and ho rocc^sive, wliilc tlio red ones produce a small number 

 of white ears, -showing that the red color behaves like a dominant 

 character. 



Croaa of " Eight-Rowed " and "Black" Pop Corn (121/137). 



The seeds of the two parents, ^'Eight-Kowed" and ''Black Pop," 

 Avere grown in alternate rows, in isolation, by Mr. AVilliam H. 

 Reid, wlio sent to the Experiment Station last year a quantity of 

 the "Eight-Rowed" sort, very thoroughly mixed with the "Black," 

 but the grains showing the combination were pinkish, and not of 

 tlie black of the male parent. The amount of the discoloration of 

 the white gi-ains varied greatly, in some kernels it being only 

 slight, and seen with difficulty, while others were a dull, dark red. 



The grains showing the cross were planted this year by Mr. 

 Reid, aiid the twenty-four ears at hand are quite uniform in hav- 

 ing three-quartei's of the grains discolored and the remaining 

 quarter white. It is noted that some ears have the discolored 

 grains of two general groups, namely, those that are solid black 

 and others with less darkness, making it possible to hope the pure 

 black may be separated at once, as well as the pure whites, leaving 

 the liybrids Ijy themselves. A student kindly selected and counted 

 the grains u])on four average ears, wuth the result that 463 were 

 black, 554 wliite and 827 mixed, thus giving the following per- 

 centages: Black, 25.1; white, 30.0, and mixed, 44.9. It is seen 

 that the white exceeds the theoretical amount, but the fact that 

 the quarter of presumably pure black grains can be separated seems 

 to ho demonstrated in this case. It remains to show by process of 

 cropping that tlic black grains, thus separated, are true to their 

 cohir. Seine cars have a blackish red for the pure dark grains, the 

 presumed hybrids varying to a lighter shade, accordingly. 



It is further noted that eighteen of the twenty-four ears are 

 ten or more rowed, like the "Black" parent, and six are eight- 

 r(»we<l, like the white parent. In other respects, difficult to define, 

 the ears are (.f two types, strongly suggesting the parent that has 

 a controlling influence in the cross. Should all crosses between a 

 distinctly eight -rowed sort and one with a larger number of rows 

 result as the small set in this cross, it would point toward the 

 nund)er of rows being a ^Mendelian character. 



'1 lie cross gives a marked increase in size over either parent, a 

 fact not unusual in the crop the first year after combination. 



