R H. COMPTON 



66 



In 1910 a number of ears of " Kinver Chevalier" Barley were sown 

 separately in the ground* and the plants produced were grown to 

 maturity. Four of these families were selected for further study by 

 reason of the eccentricity of the ratios of LH to RH which they 

 exhibited': it being thought that such ears might give the clearest 

 indications whether the characters or the ratios were hereditary. Ear I 

 gave an unusual excess oi LH. seedlings; ears II, III and IV an excess 

 oiRU. 



Table I summarises the results obtained. In the first column is 

 given the reference numeral to the ear in question together with the 

 fold of the first leaf of the plant which bore it (in 1909). Columns 

 2 and 3 show the numbers of LH and RH seedlings produced from 

 the ear in 1910. The ears yielded by the 1910 plants were harvested 

 separately and were sown on wet string-canvas. The numbers of LH 

 and RH seedlings so produced were counted and the results are dis- 

 played in the rest of Table I. The data are classified according as the 



seedlings were the oflFspring of left-handed (cols. 4 and 5) or right- 

 handed (cols. 7 and 8) parents in 1910. In columns 10 and 11 are 

 given the totals from LH and RH parents added together. The ratio 

 LH/RH is calculated in each case. In the lowest line of the table are 

 given the sum of each column and the ratios for all four ears taken 

 together. 



The bottom line of the table shows at once the extreme closeness of 

 the ratios found among the offspring of LH parents on the one hand 

 and RH parents on the other. This appears to be conclusive evidence 



1 The results of these sowings were given in my earlier paper, p. 504. 

 * The average ratio for this variety of Barley was found to be 1-390 LH : IRH 

 (58-18 =/„Lfl). 



