The Inheritance of Quantitative Characters in Maize 79 
THE INHERITANCE OF NUMBER OF NODES PER STALK. 
In case of the crosses of Missouri dent with Tom Thumb pop 
and of Missouri dent with California pop, discussed under the 
head of the inheritance of height of plant, the nodes of the main 
stalk of each plant were counted at the time the stalks were 
measured. The results of these counts are presented in Tables 31 
and 32. Since the relationship of the various families was given 
in some detail in the discussion of height, it will not be necessary 
to repeat it here. 
In case of Missouri dent crossed by Tom Thumb, where the 
number of nodes is very unlike in the parent varieties, the F x 
numbers were distinctly intermediate between the parents and 
scarcely bridged the gap between them. The three F 2 families 
showed much greater variation than the parents and the F r 
generation. They overlapped both parents but did not contain 
individuals with so many nodes, as the largest number found in 
the tall parent nor individuals with so few nodes as the least 
number observed in the short parent. The total range of varia- 
tion exhibited by the F 3 fraternities was greater by three nodes 
than that of the F 2 fraternities, but possibly would not have 
been so had an equal number of F 2 plants been grown. In 
no single F 3 family was the variation so great as in the F 2 lots 
and in some families it was no greater than in case of the parents. 
While the parent types were not completely recovered in the F 3 
lots, the difference between the several F 3 's was notable. For 
instance the largest number of nodes recorded in families 1132 
and 1133 (Table 31) was thirteen, while the smallest number 
noted in families 1144, 1147, and 1149 was fifteen. 
California pop, tho very short, is unlike Tom Thumb pop in 
that it has nearly as many nodes as Missouri dent. In the cross 
of these two varieties (Table 32), F t was intermediate between 
the parents. With the parents so nearly alike, it would seem 
that individuals like the extremes of both parents should have 
appeared in F 2 even with smaller numbers than were grown. 
Four F 2 families contained plants with as many nodes as the 
greatest number shown by any Missouri dent plant, but no F 2 
family contained a plant with so few nodes as some of the plants 
of California pop. In this connection it should be noted that 
California pop produces numerous tillers while Missouri dent 
produces very few. It seems possible that the small number of 
nodes in California pop may in some way be associated with the 
large number of tillers. 
