INHERITANCE OF WAXY ENDOSPERM IN MAIZE. 7 
25 per cent, though seemingly small, is nevertheless 8.8 times the 
probable error and could be expected to occur as the result of chance 
only once in over a billion times. The percentage of the individual 
ears ranged from 16 to 32. 
TasLE I] —Probability of occurrence of statistical deviations of different mag- 
nitudes relative to the probable error. 
Odds against Odds against Odds against 
ee geen tence we pec urnenee the prenrence 
anraaior of a deviation Deviation of a deviation Deviation of a deviation 
as at as 
(probable error). er eae: thon (probable error). pe fo (probable error). es ae 
the designated the designated the designated 
one. one. one. 
LAN a eee 1.00 to 1 ES A eR ce 9.89 to 1. Ce Oesesle uae aL Ae 142.26 to 1. 
Lee Se ee 1.18 tol ae 11.58 to 1. GA Rs SS Se Te 174.75 to 1. 
2 Pa) ee 1.39 tol 2. 13.58 to 1. CEA PAS BND 8 1s 215.92 to 1. 
(Sie Dis vo Eee 1.63 to 1 2. 15.95 to 1. CEB yer LP PES Mee ad 267.10 to 1. 
Ux tee 2B oeseeeeee 1.90 to 1 2 18.80 to 1. CEA ARG ot Fa aes 332.33 to 1. 
SE SB QE CRC ES 2.21 tol 3. 22.26 to 1. 4, 415.67 to 1. 
Lee ee -| 2.57 tol 3. .| 26.40 to 1. 4, -| 519.83 to 1. 
Li. -| 2.98 to 1 3 .| 31.36 to 1. 4, .-| 656.89 to 1. 
1.8. -| 3.45 to 1 one .| 37.46 to 1. 4, .| 825.45 to 1. 
ce lem cn ccleeca 4.00 to 1 3. 44.87 to 1. 4, 1051.63 to 1. 
ZAGER PES 4.64 to 1 53.95 to 1 BY 1350.35 to 1. 
7.73 SSE oo a 5.38 to 1 64.79 to 1 6. 19,230 to 1. 
29) RS See 6.26 to 1 78.37 tol Ue 434, 782 to 1. 
233» SS ane (eee 7.28 tol 95.15 to 1. 8. Over a billion, 
7 Os ae 8.48 tol 116.23 to 1. 
1 Copied without recalculation from Pearl and Miner (12). 
One ear deviated below the expected by 6.1 times the probable 
error, but with 96 individuals the odds against a deviation of this 
magnitude would be about 190 to 1. 
A similar shortage of waxy seeds has been observed throughout 
the experiments with this character. 
In a previous publication (7) 45 ears were reported, representing 
many different crosses and having 22,339 seeds with 23.1 per cent 
waxy, the deviation from the expected 25 per cent being 9.24 times 
the probable error. Adding this group to the results obtained from 
the second generation of the two hybrids Dh 234 and Dh 237, there 
is a total of 77,098 seeds, 18,267 of which are waxy, while the ex- 
pected is 19,274 waxy seeds, a shortage of 1,007+81 seeds, a devia- 
tion of 12.4 times the probable error. A deviation of this magnitude 
would be expected to occur as the result of chance only once in well 
over a billion times. 
The approximation of the observed percentage of waxy seeds to 
the theoretical 25 per cent is very close for the individual ears of 
the hybrids Dh 234 and Dh 237, only two of the ears deviating by 
larger amounts than could be reasonably ascribed to chance, and of 
these one was below and the other above the expected percentage. 
The large number of individuals involved has made it possible to 
accurately measure small differences which ordinarily would escape 
