64 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 185. 



An examination of the above table reveals several more or less constant 

 correlations between blossom color and seed coat color. All white or 

 ej^ed beans are accompanied by white blossoms. So far as the knowledge 

 of the writers goes this is always true, unless it may be in some cases of 

 eyed beans, when the eye is unusually large. With this reservation no 

 certain exceptions have been observed among either commercial varieties 

 or the crosses made. With the exception of Red Valentine, all totally 

 pigmented or mottled beans show more or less color in the blossom. A 

 few plants in certain lots of Red Valentine have shown shght color in the 

 blossom, while in other lots a careful examination showed no colored 

 flowers. As is shown later, more than one strain of Red Valentine has been 

 encountered, and this may account for the occasional appearance of 

 slightly tinged flowers. There are a number of commercial varieties 

 having pigmented seeds and white flowers. 



In these varieties black beans and pink flowers always go together, and 

 this seems to be generally the case among commercial varieties whether 

 the bean is solid black or black mottled, unless the mottling is confined to 

 a distinct eye. Our records show a number of instances where a black or 

 black mottled bean is said to have been accompanied by a white flower, 

 but such cases are very few among many where the flower is pink, and 

 we are inclined to ascribe them to erroneous observations, usually of blos- 

 som color. Certain pigmentation of the plant as a whole seems to accom- 

 pany certain blossom colors. The crimson flower of Blue Pod Butter is 

 always accompanied by a deep purplish coloration of the entire plant. It 

 is probable that the factor producing the pink flower and black coloration 

 in the seed coat always causes also fine purplish lines on the stems and 

 possibly a darker foliage than is found in non-pigmented plants. 



Pod color is undoubtedly independent of other coloration of the plant, 

 except that green podded plants have slightly darker green foliage than 

 wax podded varieties. 



The purplish coloration characteristic of the foliage of Blue Pod Butter, 

 found also in crosses when it is one of the parents, extends to the seed pods 

 whether they are green podded or wax podded. In many cases a more or 

 less obscure reddish or crimson splashing appears on the outside of the 

 seed pod. This is frequently, but apparently not always, associated with 

 mottled seeds. It is clearly seen in varieties of the Horticultural class. 

 Often it does not show until the pod is about to ripen, and disappears 

 with complete maturity. On account of these facts it has been found dif- 

 ficult to secure accurate data bearing on the genetic behavior of this 

 character. Moreover, our attention has been directed more especially to 

 other characters. Our observations indicate that it is a character worthy 

 of more careful study directed especially upon this point. 



As has been previously intimated, the inheritance of pigmentation in 

 beans is exceedingly complicated. Many independent factors are involved, 

 and through various interrelations of these, varied colors and color pat- 

 terns are produced. These colors and color patterns are not limited in 

 number to the letter designations given. To put it in another way, many 



