12 



BULLETIN 971, V. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Althougn this same progeny also had a relatively large number of 

 tassel branches, it was exceeded in this character by four other proge- 

 nies. Two progenies produced a total of 48 plants, all with un- 

 branched ears, though both progenies bore unmistakable evidences 

 of their Eamosa ancestry, possibly most marked in the staminate 

 inflorescence, but apparent also in the form of the ears. It seems not 

 unreasonable to predict that subsequent generations of these two 

 progenies will continue to produce unbranched ears, though a rela- 

 tively few plants with poorly developed ear branches may be expected 

 for a few generations. It is difficult to believe that these progenies 

 will ever give rise to typical ramose ears. 



A typical ramose ear was produced on a plant that had but 32 

 tassel branches with a central spike index of 47, while an unbranched 

 ear was borne on a plant with 57 tassel branches and having a central 

 spike index of but 39. Thus, it is seen that extreme branching of one 

 inflorescence is not associated inseparably with an extreme condition 

 in the other, although in Gernert's original mutation the ramose 

 characteristics of both inflorescences invariably appear together. 



Table VI. — Distribution of plants of the second, third, and fourth generations 

 of the Ramosa-Gordo maize hybrid Mhl58 for the mimber of branches m 

 the tassel. 





Progeny distribution differentiated by parents (number of plants). 



Tasselbranches. 



L2F2. 



L2L2F3. 



L2L2L1 to 6 F4. 



L2L1F3. 



L2L1L1 to 11 ¥i. 





49 



7 



12 



16 



25 



37 



44 



68 



23 



35 



36 



38 



48 



54 



78 



82 



87 



97 



? 



3. . 











































5 









































6 





1 













1 























7 





3 



+ 

































8. 

























1 















9 









































10 



































11 





1 

 2 

 1 

 1 



— 



+' 











2 

 2 





















12 































13 .... 







... 



... 

























14 





1 





















15 



1 

 1 





























■, 



16 



1 





'2 



+ 1 



... 









2 























17 























18 





1 

 2 





1 



... 



... 



1 

 1 



"i' 



1 

 1 



2 



+ 

 1 



2 



















19 





'i" 



... 

















20 





















21 . 









1 

















22 









.... 



"i' 



+ 









... 



... 



















23 









2 

 3 





1 











24 . 



1 









1 











1 





25 



1 





-■- 







... 









26 





















27 . 







1 

 1 





1 



1 

 2 



















2S 

















... 











2 

 1 



1 





1 

 1 





29 











30.. . 















1 



1 



... 







31 











3 

 2 

 1 

















1 

 1 

 1 



"2' 





32 . 



















2 

 1 



1 

 1 















33.. . . 



1 









3 















'i' 



"i' 



■■- 





34 















35 . 



2 















1 

 1 



1 



+1 



1 



+ 



1 

 1 







36 



2 

 1 







+ 







2 





37 . 



1 

 1 













38 











... 



i 



1 







... 



+ 





.. 



