﻿Laws 
  of 
  Fluctuations 
  733 
  

  

  for 
  the 
  construction 
  of 
  what 
  is 
  called 
  the 
  line 
  or 
  

   curve 
  of 
  probability. 
  For 
  this 
  construction 
  the 
  

   coefficients 
  are 
  used 
  as 
  ordinates, 
  the 
  length 
  of 
  

   which 
  is 
  to 
  be 
  made 
  proportionate 
  to 
  their 
  value. 
  

   If 
  this 
  is 
  done, 
  and 
  the 
  ordinates 
  are 
  arranged 
  

   at 
  equal 
  distances, 
  the 
  line 
  which 
  unites 
  their 
  

   summits 
  is 
  the 
  desired 
  curve. 
  At 
  first 
  glance 
  it 
  

   exhibits 
  a 
  form 
  quite 
  analogous 
  to 
  the 
  curves 
  

   of 
  fluctuating 
  variability, 
  obtained 
  by 
  the 
  meas- 
  

   urements 
  of 
  beans 
  and 
  in 
  other 
  instances. 
  Both 
  

   lines 
  are 
  symmetrical 
  and 
  slope 
  rapidly 
  down 
  in 
  

   the 
  region 
  of 
  the 
  average, 
  while 
  with 
  increasing 
  

   distance 
  they 
  gradually 
  lose 
  their 
  steep 
  incli- 
  

   nation, 
  becoming 
  nearly 
  parallel 
  to 
  the 
  base 
  at 
  

   their 
  termination. 
  

  

  This 
  similarity 
  between 
  such 
  empirical 
  and 
  

   theoretical 
  lines 
  is 
  in 
  itself 
  an 
  empirical 
  fact. 
  

   The 
  causes 
  of 
  chance 
  are 
  assumed 
  to 
  be 
  innu- 
  

   merable, 
  and 
  the 
  whole 
  calculation 
  is 
  based 
  on 
  

   this 
  assumption. 
  The 
  causes 
  of 
  the 
  fluctuations 
  

   of 
  biological 
  phenomena 
  have 
  not 
  as 
  yet 
  been 
  

   critically 
  examined 
  to 
  such 
  an 
  extent 
  as 
  to 
  allow 
  

   of 
  definite 
  conceptions. 
  The 
  term 
  nourishment 
  

   manifestly 
  includes 
  quite 
  a 
  number 
  of 
  separate 
  

   factors, 
  as 
  light, 
  space, 
  temperature, 
  moisture, 
  

   the 
  physical 
  and 
  chemical 
  conditions 
  of 
  the 
  soil 
  

   and 
  the 
  changes 
  of 
  the 
  weather. 
  Without 
  doubt 
  

   the 
  single 
  factors 
  are 
  very 
  numerous, 
  but 
  

   whether 
  they 
  are 
  numerous 
  enough 
  to 
  be 
  treated 
  

  

  