EXPERIMENT STATION REPORT. 293 



(."ONTINUOUS SELECTION OF TYPES. 



The ''Jers<^y Green" is a siimnior squash that has been secured 

 in four years of selection from a ci'oss of the "Yellow Crookneck" 

 upon the cross of the same variety with the "Cream Scallop," and 

 represented by the formula 5//6/5. The first generati(m gave 

 generally smooth "Jugs," but variable in color. Smooth green 

 "jugs" were selected for seed, from which came seven types; from 

 these the smooth green-fruited plants were selected and bred to 

 themselves and within the particular plant. In 1908 this work 

 re&ulted in a block of plants upon the home grounds, all of which 

 were green fruited. A distribution was also made the same year of 

 the seeds of the previous crop under the name of "Jersey Green," 

 and forty-three individual responses are recorded in the annual 

 report for last year, pages 255, 256. 



During the present season a test was made of planting separately 

 seeds of this sort that resulted from fertilization within the plant, 

 and all the thirteen hills showed feeble plants that matured usually 

 not more than a single fruit while these wei'e in all cases true to 

 type. 



Alongside of this test of the "Jersey Green" were rows of other 

 types of summer squashes, the seeds of which came frootn the breed- 

 ing within the plant, and in every case the results were the same, 

 namely, very feeble plants. This block of rows of squashes was 

 very noticeable because of the lack of vigor, and it is regretted 

 that a field photograph was not taken, showing the striking con- 

 trast between the rows grown from closely bred seed and those 

 without this inbreeding. 



It w'as determined that quite minute features of a squash fruit 

 can be fixed by this process of breeding within the plant. Thus 

 there "vvas one row planted with seed from a peculiar "acorn" 

 formed fruit, fertilized within the plant, and all the many fruits 

 were alike in this respect. Another roAv was planted to another 

 variation of the "acorn" and the result was the same. Still an- 

 other row had a third "acorn" ]Teculiarity, and this in like manner 

 was reproduced and apparently will remain fixed so long as the 

 breeding is confined to plants with that peculiarity. 



