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  Fluctuations 
  

  

  the 
  result 
  is 
  due 
  to 
  the 
  one, 
  and 
  what 
  to 
  the 
  

   other 
  factor. 
  

  

  The 
  scientist, 
  on 
  the 
  contrary, 
  has 
  nothing 
  to 
  

   do 
  with 
  the 
  industrial 
  product. 
  His 
  task 
  is 
  the 
  

   analysis 
  of 
  the 
  methods, 
  in 
  order 
  to 
  reach 
  a 
  

   clear 
  appreciation 
  of 
  the 
  influence 
  of 
  all 
  the 
  

   competing 
  factors. 
  This 
  study 
  of 
  the 
  working 
  

   causes 
  leads 
  to 
  a 
  better 
  understanding 
  of 
  the 
  

   practical 
  processes, 
  and 
  may 
  become 
  the 
  basis 
  

   of 
  improvement 
  in 
  methods. 
  

  

  Starting 
  from 
  these 
  considerations, 
  we 
  will 
  

   now 
  give 
  some 
  illustrative 
  examples, 
  and 
  for 
  

   the 
  first, 
  choose 
  one 
  in 
  which 
  hybridization 
  is 
  

   almost 
  completely 
  excluded. 
  

  

  Sugar-canes 
  have 
  long 
  been 
  considered 
  to 
  be 
  

   plants 
  without 
  seed. 
  Their 
  numerous 
  varieties 
  

   are 
  propagated 
  only 
  in 
  a 
  vegetative 
  way. 
  The 
  

   stems 
  are 
  cut 
  into 
  pieces, 
  each 
  bearing 
  one 
  

   or 
  two 
  or 
  more 
  nodes 
  with 
  their 
  buds. 
  An 
  

   entire 
  variety, 
  though 
  it 
  may 
  be 
  cultivated 
  in 
  

   large 
  districts 
  and 
  even 
  in 
  various 
  countries, 
  be- 
  

   haves 
  with 
  respect 
  to 
  variability 
  as 
  a 
  single 
  in- 
  

   dividual. 
  Its 
  individual 
  fluctuability 
  has 
  been 
  

   limited 
  to 
  the 
  earliest 
  period 
  of 
  its 
  life, 
  when 
  it 
  

   arose 
  from 
  an 
  unknown 
  seed. 
  The 
  personal 
  

   characters 
  that 
  have 
  been 
  stamped 
  on 
  this 
  one 
  

   seed, 
  partly 
  by 
  its 
  descent, 
  and 
  partly 
  in 
  the 
  de- 
  

   velopment 
  of 
  its 
  germ 
  during 
  the 
  period 
  of 
  

   ripening, 
  have 
  become 
  the 
  indelible 
  characters 
  

  

  