
107 
color could be regulated by selection, the following experiment was 
tried, two different varieties of black oats being used, viz.: Black 
Champion and Black Tartarian. 
From each variety of the crop of 1884 was carefully selected a 
quantity of the whitest, as well as of the blackest seeds to be found, 
each color being kept separate. It is to be noted that the seeds 
called black, were a dense dun-black, rather than black. ~ 
Buack Cuampron. Four rows thirty-three feet long were planted 
to selected white seed, and an equal number of rows, of the same 
length to selected black seed. As the plants stooled in early sum- 
mer, a difference between the two sets of rows began to be manifest, 
the plants from the white seed being apparently more vigorous, 
healthy and larger than those from the black seed. As the develop- 
ment of the culm began, a change was brought about, by the plants 
from black seed increasing in vigor and finally excelling the others, 
so that just before ripening, it was noted that those from black seed 
were finer appearing plants than from the white, presented a more 
even growth, and were all open panicled. The selected white seed 
plants were a mixture of open and side head panicles, with a shorter 
growth than the others. A very close examination of the seeds 
from both selections was made. ‘lhose from the white were all ap- 
parently of that color, as in common oats and would appear as such 
toa careless observer, but nevertheless here and there was to be found 
a comparatively black or dun seed. From the black seeding result- 
ed a mixture of dun and black oats, fairly representing the seed 
planted. A white grain was veryuncommon. Apparently the seeds 
no more than preserved their individuality in the progeny, though 
the inclination was to increase of intensity of color. 
Buack TARTARIAN. Five rows each thirty-three feet long, were 
planted with selected black, and an equal number of rows from se- 
lected white seed. 
The plants grown from selected black, Black Tartarian seeds, were 
much more vigorous early in the season than those from white seed, 
the difference in robustness and forwardness of growth being most 
remarkable. This condition was maintained through to blooming, 
and the plants from black seed matured some days earlier than did 
the others. All the panicles from black seed were of the ‘‘side head ” 
formation, as should be with this variety of oats, but with the white, 
the open panicle was quite common. The evenness of growth of 
black was striking, while the whites were in most irregular form. 
The difference in the resulting seeds from this variety is not so 
marked as with the Black Champion. From the black seeding was 
obtained a quantity of seed of the burnt or black brown color of the 
parent-stock, not noticeably differing from it. The white seeding 
produced seeds of a black-brown hue, not being strikingly lighter 
than the blacks, and somewhat approximating to them, but coutain- 
ing a few white seeds, thereby differing from the results of the black 
seeding which produced no white. 
IMPROVEMENT IN SELECTING. 
From a quantity of Chinese Hulless oats were selected enough 
small and large plump superior grains to plant an equal area. The 
large seed made the earliest growth, started the best, and presented 
