INHERITANCE OF WAXY ENDOSPERM IN MAIZE. 31 
especially in the second generation, no ears difficult of classification 
being found. 
In the third generation, however, this crisp difference partially 
disappeared. Several ears were found that were so minutely spotted 
that an accurate classification was impossible and therefore not under- 
taken. The deviations in the individual ears were also somewhat 
wider, a few being found that could not be considered as approxima- 
tions of any Mendelian ratio founded on reasonable assumptions. 
In presenting the results obtained, all possible precautions have 
been taken to eliminate personal error. There is always room for 
a slight difference of opinion in the classification of aleurone color, 
owing to the fact that some persons detect color where others fail. 
The chief object of the investigation being to study the correla- 
tion between aleurone color and endosperm texture, it was desirable 
to reduce all unnecessary complications. For this reason, only ears 
that had definitely alternative classes were considered. The conclu- 
sions, therefore, are based on ears that had very distinct classes, 
eliminating the chance that aberrant ratios were due to inability to 
properly classify the seeds. Without doubt much could be learned 
from a careful study of the inheritance of aleurone color in the 
ears that did not have definitely alternative classes. This bulletin 
therefore does not present a complete study of aleurone color, since 
only a part of the material was analyzed. It is believed that the 
results do afford an accurate measure of the percentage of white 
seeds segregating from white < colored crosses on ears with distinct 
classes. 
The number of individuals classified is believed to be larger than 
in any previous experiment with aleurone color. The numerical 
equality of the two classes of gametes at segregation has consequently 
been subjected to a more searching test. 
Since faintly colored ears were discarded, it is not surprising that: 
the inheritance of aleurone color for these hybrids admits of com- 
paratively simple explanation. That two factors are concerned in 
the production of aleurone color is clearly indicated by these two 
hybrids. Most of the ears require an explanation no more compli- 
cated, but with the partial results of the season of 1914, all the ears 
of which are not at present completely classified, a third factor be- 
comes necessary, with a possible fourth. 
Jt can easily be seen that many complications are to be expected 
from the recombination of these factors; hence, this phase of the 
problem is just touched upon in this bulletin. That these com- 
plications eventually arise in the study of aleurone color, as with 
many other characters, certainly limits the general application of 
Mendelian explanations, but should not conceal the fact that Mende- 
han segregation does occur with respect to aleurone color and that the 
numerical relations are wonderfully exact. ; 
