553 
1 879.] Seed-Breeding . 
moisture in sufficient quantity being present, tends to an 
elongation of the internode of the plant, while a diminution 
of temperature tends to shorten the nodes, and is suggestive 
of other changes in the character of the plant and its 
fruitage. As a general rule, for varieties of corn which are 
quite similar, elongation of the internodes means an influ- 
ence on the ear ; but there seems to be many exceptions, 
and the matter is worthy of further study. 
The influence of hybridisation in corn is very peculiar, 
but always results in a change of character in the kernel. 
Thus we have before us an ear of a pale yellow field-variety 
which contains sweet-corn kernels, wrinkled, sweet, and of 
their proper shape. In this* case the pollen has determined 
the development of the ovule of another variety so as to 
disguise completely the natural order of its development. 
We have another ear of a deep red corn, whereon the 
influence of the foreign pollen has been to modify the shape 
and the colour of the few kernels affedted in such a manner 
that they seem intermediate in character between the two 
parentages, and in other kernels the influence of the polli- 
nation seems to be confined to distindl localities of the 
kernel. In these variations, these departures from the 
variety, we have the means at hand for further progress in 
an intermediate or diverse direction from either parent, be- 
cause, as is too well known for argument, or even statement, 
the produce from these kernels would show effedts resulting 
from this departure from the type of either parentage. 
The influence of interference with the growth of the 
plant, in order to produce variation, seems not to have 
attracted the attention of authors, although of great inte- 
rest. In some experiments of our own we have found that 
the obstrudtion to the flow of sap in the stalk, whether by 
ligature or by splitting the stalk and injuring the pith in 
the cross-sedtion, has been in all cases followed by the 
elongation of the foot-stalk of the ear, and we have thus 
secured a branching corn-plant. This treatment increased 
the rate of growth of the plant in height, caused an earlier 
bloom, and increased the amount of produce over that of 
adjoining hills not thus treated. The removal of the upper 
nodes of the plant early in the season has caused a deve- 
lopment of ears from the lower nodes, which in the variety 
experimented upon are universally barren as cultivated in 
the fields. When the leaves were cut from the ear- 
wrappings (not the leaf-stalks which form the husk, but the 
leaf extremities which are formed beyond the ear), the effedt 
on the ear was manifested by irregularity of kernel develop- 
