Ig1t] CURRENT LITERATURE 481 
were discovered in the descendants of one original plant mutilated by the 
author in r902. After that time the pedigrees were kept carefully controlled, 
either by hand-pollinations or by cultivation in isolated plots. 
The reviewer,‘ at about the time this monograph appeared, demonstrated 
the occurrence of numerous biotypes in hybrid combination in what appeared 
to be a fairly uniform population of maize, and believes this to be the general 
situation in this species. JOHANNSENS has pointed out that the reviewer's 
results favor a different interpretation of BLARINGHEM’s experiences, since the 
new types which proved to be hereditary may have appeared as the result of 
segregation of biotypes which were already present in the original plant chosen 
for mutilation, this segregation being due, not to the mutilation, but to 
subsequent method of breeding. GriFron* has given further support to this 
appear when no mutilations have been practiced, and the reviewer has had 
the same experience. GRIFFON shows that the abnormalities which character- 
ized BLARINGHEM’s forms are strongly dependent upon seasonal conditions 
for their devel t, being much more abundant in all cultures in some seasons 
and less abundant i in alti in other seasons. He does not agree with BLARING- 
HEM that with respect to these abnormalities these maize families constitute 
ever-sporting varieties. It does not follow, however, that abnormalities are 
not hereditary because they are strongly affected by the environment. Hus 
and Murpocx’ have shown the inheritance of fasciation in a strain of popcorn, 
the offspring of two fasciated ears giving progenies over 50 per cent of which 
produced fasciated ears, while an unfasciated ear from the same strain gave 
only 3 per cent fasciated ears. It will be understood, of course, that the strain 
from which these ears were selected was complexly hybrid, and that pure-bred 
derivatives might have shown either approximately 100 per cent fasciated 
or approximately no fasciation, under favorable conditions. There is evidence 
that the fasciation is strongly fluctuating, the two ears on a single stem being 
not infrequently one fasciated and the other normal. The significance of 
the percentage inheritance is doubtful in complex material of this kind 
The reviewer’ has presented additional evidence of the hybrid nature 
of ordinary vigorous maize plants, and their dependence for their vigor upon 
HULL, G. H., The composition of a field of maize. Report Am. Breeders’ 
Association 6. 1908. 
S JoHANNSEN, W., Elemente der exacten Erblichkeitslehre. pp, vi+-516. Jigs. 31. 
Jena: Gustav Fischer. 1909. 
° Grirron, E., Observations et arg expérimentales sur la variation chez 
le mais. ae Soc: Bot. France 57:60 . 1910. 
7 Hus, H., and Murpock, A. W., ce of fasciation in Zea Mays. Plant 
World 14:88-96. rorr. 
§ SHULL, . H., a methods in corn breeding. Amer. Breeders’ Mag. 
1:98—107. 19 
