I. FOREWORD

First, a "Thank You" and a silken ear to all the Cooperators who sent their Reports on time, with concise articles, compact figures and tables, honest-to-goodness data, well-spelled phrases, carefully considered symbols, double-spaced copy, mapping data, useful techniques and tidbits. No tongue-in-cheek, simply an appreciation of the helpfulness that was evident this year. The Cooperation is alive and well, as can be seen from the Reports within.

Second, be prepared for a surprise inside, and be careful not to draw the conclusion that this has become a book or a publication. To newcomers in these covers, whose experience has not included the joy of being told at an appropriate knee about the traditions in maize genetics (MUST READ: Rhoades, Ann. Rev. Genet. 18, 1984), be informed:

The data presented here are not to be used in publications without the consent of the authors.

This means that, while the information here has been shared, it is still the property of the author or authors whose field books and note books are opened in these pages, and whose concurrence must be obtained in citing or using the information.

The typeset pages and two-column form were suggested by University Printing Services as a more efficient combination that would be attractive and less costly in

plates, paper and mailing; the result is a considerable reduction in bulk. My experience in this kind of production was limited, and I ask your forebearance in any oddities that resulted; they are mine, not the printer's.

The Mailing List, updated, includes telephone numbers that were supplied in response to postcard mailings. A number of addressees were dropped following two rounds of postcard inquiries; if there are individuals who are not listed, and should have been, I would be pleased to hear from them, with a proper mailing address and telephone number for future listings.

The list of Recent Maize Publications is numbered this year, to aid in author-hunting (no doubt you have found it tedious, as have I, to search for junior authors from a page reference). These numbers are prefixed by "r" in the Author and Name Index, and in Zealand. Dave Hoisington performed the programming magic for linking of the author names and reference numbers, among many other useful and helpful aids for efficient searching, address-finding, etc. He is even more to be commended for the compilations and working maps offered for your use, your critiques, your suggestions, your ideas, your help, your modifications, your improvement and your upgrading. These maps are living and refinable things, to which all information, old and new, can and should be brought. We solicit your help in studying the working maps and the Mapping section, and we ask all who are doing mapping to let the coordinator know about the work in progress and to supply information and data toward the documenting, compiling and evaluating effort that is ahead.

Shirley Kowalewski and Mary Brazil gave their skillful attention to the year-round office work, including especially the literature compilation. Christopher Browne and Kathryn Chappell helped with numerous vital tasks, in addition to keeping field and lab work going. Proofing, suggestions and critiques by Robert Bird, Mingtang Chang, Christine Curtis, Craig Echt, Chang-Deok Han, Bryan Kindiger and Rick Vierling are greatly appreciated.

If you have not yet seen the display cases of diverse ear types at the Ames Plant Introduction Station, mounted by 20th Century Fox for a scene and returned to Ames for use, they are well worth a visit -- almost as interesting as the facility itself. Dr. Raymond Clark, Director of the Station, showed the mounts to me in September.

With flowery wishes for an ideal pollinating season, and the pick of the crop.

Ed Coe