PLANTS FOR EXPERIMENT 193 



Several years ago I worked quite extensively 

 on buckwheat. This work consisted largely of 

 selecting the larger, plumper, and lighter- 

 colored kernels. The work was carried on with 

 both the common buckwheat and the Japanese 

 species. A certain amount of crossing was done, 

 but in general the plants were found to be so 

 variable that nothing more was necessary than 

 to select among the different forms that ap- 

 peared spontaneously. 



Considerable though relatively slow progress 

 was made in the production of a better quality of 

 grain. The experiments were discontinued be- 

 fore I began the extensive hybridization of the 

 two species that had been contemplated. They 

 could, of course, be crossed to advantage. 



Among textile plants, and plants of use in the 

 textile industries, my most interesting recent ex- 

 periments have had to do with the wild teazel, 

 with the Chilean hemp, New Zealand flax, and 

 many others that give promise of the production 

 of a valuable fiber. 



The teazel, as is well known, has been an im- 

 portant plant, inasmuch as its long-hooked burs 

 are used for producing the nap on cloth, more 

 especially the woolens, and no mechanical de- 

 vice has ever been invented as a thoroughly 

 satisfactory substitute. There are several dis- 



7 Vol. 6 Bur. 



