64 
are often produced. Thus African seed has varied only 
towards varieties of the African type; French seed has 
varied only towards French varieties; Station seed has pro- 
duced crop which could in nearly every case be identified 
with varieties with which crossings might have been ef- 
fected; seed from distant regions of our country vary 
towards the types grown in those regions whence they 
icame. , 
Repeated crossings, however, seem to destroy this tend- 
ency towards a close reproduction of the parentage. Thus: 
the crop from hybridized seed planted in turn is subject to 
the uniform variations noted; the crop again planted is sub- 
jected to a still further variation, and when by this means 
the variety character is weakened, we may note occasional 
exceptions in succeeding crops from the course we have 
already outlined, and sweet and dent, dent and sweet, sweet. 
and flint, and flint and sweet, or flint and dent, and dent: 
and flint kernels may sometimes appear on the same ears, 
thus creating an impression that variety characters cannot. 
be preserved in cases when two or more kinds of corn are 
grown together. Such occurrences are, however, very rare: 
with us, but sufficiently indicated to warrant the belief that. 
the explanation is a reasonable one. Some of the instances. 
can be explained by the hypothesis that the variety pollen 
failed, and a force cross then took place. 
A few examples, selected on account of their absolute 
character, may be given. 
In 1882, a plat of Waushakum Flint was grown alongside: 
a Minnesota Dent. The seed of either planted in 1883: 
yielded partly Waushakum Flint ears and partly Minnesota. 
Dent ears, with no intermediates. This trial is noteworthy 
as being on a large scale. 
The Rural Thoroughbred Dent, grown at the Station 1884, 
yielded in 1885 perfect samples of the Rhode Island White: 
Cap Flint, some Benton Dent, and some ears on type of 
variety planted; the Rhode Island White Cap, of like his- 
tory, and which had pollenated the Rural, yielded in its. 
turn all its ears on type. 
Our Husk corn received in 1882 was all of the dent * 
species, and was allowed to hybridize in 1882, 1883 and 1884, 
so that the crop of 1885 might be expected to be extremely 
variable, as the variety characters must have been greatly 
weakened. In 1885 some dent or soft kernels (which could. 
not be told except by destroying the seed) from a podded 
sweet ear were planted. The crop was five pod, and four- 
teen unpodded ears. The pod ears resembled in form the 
pod ears of 18838; twelve unpodded ears were precisely the 
unpodded ears of 1883, and two ears were the Zuni Yellow 
soft corn, with pink kernels instead of yellow. 
in rot 
~ Mu ‘ a ee > Ld 
