EFFECTS OF SELECTION ON ALKALOIDS IN" BELLADONNA. 



19 



Table VIII. — Alkaloids, at two different stages, in the leaves of belladonna plants grown 

 from cuttings from selected parents at Arlington, Va. — Continued. 





Alkaloidal content (per cent). 



Lot and number. 



Alkaloidal content (per cent). 



Lot and number. 



First 



stage, 



Aug. 18. 



Second 

 stage, 

 Oct. 12. 



Average 



for 

 season. 



First 



stage, 



Aug. 18. 



Second 

 stage, 

 Oct. 12. 



Average 



for 

 season. 



Lot Twio: 



3. 



.516 



.688 

 .864 



.602 

 .864 



Lot 34 3 : 



1 



0.623 

 .539 





0.623 



6. 



2 



6.596 



.567 







Average 



Lot 34s: 



1 





Average 



.516 



.776 



.646 



.5S1 



.596 



.588 



Lot 34 2 : 

 1... 





.636 

 .391 

 .525 

 .408 

 .590 



.636 

 .445 

 .562 

 .483 

 .596 



.514 

 .458 



.439 

 .440 



.476 



3.. 



.499 

 .598 

 .558 

 .601 



2 



.449 





Average 







.486 



.440 



.463 



6 









Average 



.564 



.510 



.537 





Summary of Seasonal and Group Averages. 



Lot. 



Alkaloid 

 yield of 

 parent. 



Average alkaloidal 

 content (per cent). 



For season. 



For all 



plants 



from same 



parent. 



Lot 6wi„ 

 Lot 6w 2 .. 

 Lot 6w 3 . . 

 Lot6w 4 .. 

 Lot6w«.. 

 Lot 6w 9 . . 

 Lot 6wio. 

 Lot 6wn. 

 Lot 6wu. 



Lot 7w 3 .. 

 Lot7w 4 .. 

 Lot 7wi.. 

 Lot 7wio. 



Lot 34,.. 

 Lot 34s.. 

 Lot34 5 .. 



High... 

 ....do. 

 ....do. 

 ....do. 

 ....do. 

 ....do. 

 ....do. 

 ....do. 

 .,.do. 



.do. 

 .do. 

 .do. 

 .do. 



Low . . . 

 ....do. 

 ....do. 



0.532 

 .517 

 .634 

 .565 

 .772 

 .643 

 .648 

 .649 

 .581 



.544 

 .575 

 .677 

 .646 



.537 



.588 

 .463 



0.616 



0.529 



Here, again, the plants from lots 6w and 7w show marked superiority- 

 over those of lot 34, the parent plant of which was poor in alkaloids. 

 These plants will be observed and studied carefully through another 

 season, to determine whether the same relationship holds true, after 

 which desired individuals will be selected and further propagated 

 through cuttings. 



CONCLUSIONS. 



It having been established in the previous investigation that a wide 

 range of variation exists in the alkaloidal content of belladonna 

 plants, the present investigation was undertaken to determine 

 whether the characteristic of alkaloid production is transmissible to 



