a 
ORIGIN OF SPECIES 519 
facts, of the great prevalence of fluctuating varieties, and for other 
reasons, mutation has hitherto usually escaped observation, even 
by naturalists. 
When a new species originates by mutation in the wild state it 
is at once subject to the usual competitive struggle for existence, 
even with its parent form. Species not only do not originate by 
natural selection and the struggle for existence, but they perish 
thereby; and the number of species which have originated by 
mutation since the beginning and met an untimely death without 
having produced any progeny, is doubtless beyond human estimate. 
Acting upon the theory which is very briefly stated in the 
foregoing paragraphs, Professor de Vries formed a systematic plan 
for discovering and studying mutating plants. He selected from 
the flora of Holland more than one hundred species and trans- 
planted them in experimental gardens at Amsterdam, where he 
also sowed seed of those, and many other members of the Hol- 
land flora. He also made exhaustive studies of that flora in its 
wild state. The object of these experiments was not to produce 
horticultural varieties but to discover plants that were already in 
their natural mutative period among the multitude that were plainly 
immutative. He nurtured, protected and artificially pollinated the 
Plants thus growing under his care. In short, he fully supplied 
their natural wants, gave them much greater advantages of growth 
and development than the best wild conditions could afford, and 
relieved them from all the adverse conditions which they neces- 
sarily would have encountered in their wild habitat. Meanwhile 
he eagerly watched them all for any sign of mutation that might 
occur, 
The result was at least one grand success amid a multitude of 
failures. The failures were not due to the method of investigation, 
but to the fact that almost all the plants investigated were in their 
immutative period. The chief case of success was with plants of 
the American genus QOe¢nothera, the so-called evening primroses. 
One species, 0. Lamarckiana, proved to be in an exceptionally 
mutable condition. A few years ago it escaped from cultivation 
in certain parks in Holland and immediately began a most vigor- 
©us multiplication and dispersion in a wild state. Among the 
abundant original plants thus produced, two new species soon ap- 
