BUD SELECTION 389 



on the same plant." After citing a case of modification in degree of 

 pigmentation in Coleus by the use of artificial light, Stout declares: "In 

 marked contrast to these results it may be noted that the bud variations 

 that I have reported give more marked changes than those induced by 

 Flammarion and that these appear suddenly and in a sector of a bud in a 

 manner that suggests internal readjustments rather than external 

 environmental influence." 



Stout tested the seed progeny of two of his plants, obtaining in all 45 

 plants from selfed seed. As would be expected in such a case of composite 

 ancestry, there was a wide range of variation in size as well as shape of 

 leaves and in leaf coloration every gradation between pure yellow plants 

 that died within a few weeks and pure green. No better evidence could 

 be offered that these highly variable characters are actually conditioned 

 by specific factors which segregate and recombine in sexual reproduction. 



The history of Coleus as reviewed by Stout also contains some interest- 

 ing facts about the origin of the characters under discussion. The four 

 original species that furnished the foundation stock, from which the 

 modern Coleus has been developed, contained no yellow coloration 

 whatsoever. They were characterized by green leaves overlaid with 

 different shades of red, purple or chocolate. The first appearance of 

 yellow occurred in a leaf sport, i.e., in one-half of a single leaf the green 

 was exchanged for a decided yellow tint. "The bud at its base was 

 propagated and gave the new variety." However, it does not appear 

 that this sport was used in hybridization work. "Yellow coloration also 

 appeared as a new or spontaneous development" among the second lot 

 of hybrids raised at the gardens of the Royal Horticultural Society about 

 1869. Again in regard to the laciniate-leaf character, as early as 1856 a 

 variety of Coleus blumei (which was the first species introduced into 

 Europe and was originally described in 1826) was described as being 

 "somewhat more richly colored but differing chiefly in having the leaves 

 deeply and doubly lobed." While there is no record of the origin of this 

 variety, it is certain that it appeared before C. blumei had been hybridized 

 with any other species. It is very probable, therefore, that it arose as a 

 bud mutation. Thus it appears that two of the three characters whose 

 presence, absence or partial development figure conspicuously in Stout's 

 "bud variations" actually originated by factor mutations during the 

 early horticultural history of this plant. 



Regarding the efficacy of selection in maintaining the new forms that 

 arose by bud mutation, Stout's results show clearly that even in such a 

 highly variable plant as a horticultural variety of Coleus, bud selection 

 is very effective. Stout describes his methods as follows: 



"The series of plants considered under any type pattern are in large measure 

 a selected stock. When cuttings were made for the perpetuation of the pattern 



