12 
BULLETIN 971, U. S. DEPARTMENT OE 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 geri-erations 
of the Ramosa-Gordo maize hybrid Mhl58 for the number of branches in 
the tassel. 
Progeny distribution differentiated by parents (number of plants). 
Tassel branches. 
L2F 2 . 
L2L2F 3 . 
L2L2L1 to 6 F 4 . L2L1F 3 . 
L2L1L1 to 11 F 4 . 
49 
7 
12 
16 
25 
37 
44 
68 
23 
35 
36 
3S 
• 
54 
78 
S2 
87 
97 
? 
3. 
1 
1 
6. 
1 
3 
1 
+ 
8. . 
1 
1 
9 
1 
1 
10 
1 
11 
1 
+" 
1 
4 
1 
2 
2 
2 
12 
... 
2 
1 
1 
3 
13 
1 
1 
1 
1 
14 

1 
2 
15 
! 
1 
16 
1 
"2" 
+1 
1 
1 
2 
1 
2 
1 
2 
17 
18 
1 
2 
1 
1 
2 
1 
1 
"i" 
1 
1 
2 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
2 
19 
T 
... 
4 
3 
1 
20 
... 
1 
1 
3 
21 
1 
22 
3 
1 
.... 
1 
T 
+ 
2 
1 
1 
1 
1 
::: 
23 
2 
3 
1 
2 
1 
1 
1 
1 
24 . 
l 
.... 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
25 
1 
2 
"i" 
"i* 
1 
1 
... 
1 
26 
1 
2 
27 
1 
1 
1 
1 
2 
28 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
T 
2 
1 
1 
"i" 
1 
1 
1 
29 
2 
30 
1 
1 
... 
1 
31 
1 
3 
2 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
"2" 
1 
32 
2 
1 
1 
1 
1 
33 
l 
1 
... 
3 
1 
1 
3 
1 
1 
1 
"i" 
"i" 
"i" 
1 
"i" 
1 
1 
1 
1 
34 
1 
35 
2 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
+1 
1 
+ 
1 
1 
2 
36.. 
2 
1 
1 
+ 
... 
... 
1 
1 
2 
37 
1 
1 
1 
38 
i 
1 
+ 
... 
