1910] CURRENT LITERATURE 153 
and 6 are described without names. The describing and naming of new species 
of galls without the insects has been the subject of considerable criticism, but 
since it gives us a definite record of these species the reviewer is inclined to favor 
the violation of this law of nomenclature. The work closes with an extensive 
bibliography, a systematic index of gall insects, and an index of scientific and 
common names of host plants.—Met T. Coox. 
NOFES FOR STUDENTS 
Influence of environment on wheat.—One of the most persistent theories in 
evolutionary discussions of cultivated plants is that of the “‘breaking up of types,”’ 
supposed to be brought about when plants are grown from seed under conditions 
differing markedly from those under which the parent plants were grown. Evi- 
dence for this view has been largely of an observational nature and capable of 
other interpretation. Experimental evidence bearing on the question has been 
brought out by LeCierc and Leavitt’ in reporting a series of cultures of 
wheat in widely different sections of the United States. The plan of the experi- 
ments was as follows: In one series Kubanka wheat grown in South Dakota was 
distributed to stations in Kansas and California, a sample being likewise grown 
in South Dakota. Every year a sample from each station was sent to each of 
the others and grown there. A similar series of cultures was carried out with 
Crimean wheat in Kansas, Texas, and California. Some of the experiments 
have now been continued for five years. 
The results may be briefly summarized. The original pure type of Kubanka 
wheat from South Dakota showed entirely different morphological characteristics 
and chemical composition at the different stations. The characteristics of the 
wheats of one variety at any particular station were uniform for the wheat — 
ever grown at that station, no matter from which station the seed had 
derived. Thus, when South Dakota wheat was grown in Kansas or Caltoast 
it assumed characteristics different from those which it originally had, and 
peculiar for each region; but if, after oriebies ree _ wheats were 
again transferred to South Dakota the resulting crop assume 1 the characteristics 
of the same variety grown ncn in South Dakota. The series with 
Crimean wheat gave exactly similar results 
he experiments show that wheats of one variety from several sources, when 
grown in the same locality, differ but little in morphological characteristics and 
chemical composition, but if grown in different localities from seed of the same 
Source, they differ widely from each other. There is a marked response to 
environment, but all the plants of a pure variety respond in the same way. There 
is no tendency toward “breaking up” of the type on account of change in environ- 
ment.—H. HAssELBRING, 
—_—_——— 
$ Le Cuere, J. A., and Leavitt, S., Tri-local experiments on the influence of 
‘nvironment on the composition of wheat. U.S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Chem., Bull. 128. 
Pp. 18. 1970. 
