EXPERIMENT STATION REPORT. 391 



EXPERIMENTS WITH PHLOXES. 



The Phlox Drummondii is a native annual of great merit as an 

 ornamental plant, and for the last two years has received attention in 

 the Experiment Area. Twenty-four commercial varieties were grown 

 in 1901, as listed in the report for last year. Several crosses were 

 made in the field, and the offspring were grown to some extent in the 

 greenhouse the following winter. 



During the present season the work has been continued in the field, 

 and a number of crosses have developed of considerable interest. The 

 Cuspidata (No. 12, of 1901) variety is peculiar in having the petals 

 extended into long teeth and giving a star-like form to the whole 

 bloom. A number of crosses were made upon this, showing many 

 variations of interest from the parent type. Some of these are shown 

 in Plate VI., where the forms are easily seen, but the interesting varie- 

 gation is largely lost in the photograph and engraving. 



It still remains to fix some of the most attractive forms so that 

 they will come true from seed and become satisfactory varieties 

 for the general grower. The experience of 1901 has been repeated, 

 namely, that the phlox is a very satisfactory ornamental plant, giving 

 a bed of much beauty and a constant supply of handsome blooms. 

 One can have a single solid color or ribbons of mixed shades, as the 

 fancy suggests. 



CROSSED PLANTS IN THEIR SECOND GENERATION.* 



In the following statements the facts are derived entirely from ob- 

 servation and study of some truck crops with M'hich breeding has been 

 attempted during the past few years at the Experiment Grounds of 

 the Botanical Department of the New Jersey College Experiment 

 Station. 



Corn. — In the hope of making a new variety of corn and at the 

 same time study some of the problems in connection with plant breed- 

 ing, two standard sorts were selecte^d, one a white kind, the ''Egyp- 

 tian" and the ''Black Mexican." It scarcely need be said that these 

 two varieties, while both of first quality, are quite unlike in other 

 respects than color. The "Egyptian" produces a large, white ear, 

 with the rows of grains ten or more, while the "]\Iexican" has a com- 



* Outline of paper prepared for meeting of the Association of American Agri- 

 cultural Colleges and Experiment Stations in Washington, November 19th, 1901. 



