﻿Inconstancy 
  of 
  Improved 
  Races 
  771 
  

  

  might 
  perhaps 
  best 
  be 
  considered 
  to 
  end 
  with 
  

   the 
  beginning 
  of 
  the 
  resting 
  stage 
  of 
  the 
  ripe 
  

   seed. 
  Hence 
  it 
  is 
  clear 
  that 
  the 
  variability 
  of 
  

   seed-propagated 
  annual 
  races 
  has 
  a 
  wider 
  range 
  

   than 
  that 
  of 
  perennials, 
  shrubs 
  and 
  trees. 
  At 
  

   present 
  it 
  is 
  difficult 
  to 
  discern 
  exactly 
  the 
  part 
  

   each 
  of 
  these 
  two 
  main 
  factors 
  plays 
  in 
  the 
  

   process. 
  Many 
  indications 
  are 
  found 
  however, 
  

   that 
  make 
  it 
  probable 
  that 
  embryonic 
  variability 
  

   is 
  wider, 
  and 
  perhaps 
  of 
  far 
  greater 
  impor- 
  

   tance 
  than 
  the 
  subsequent 
  partial 
  fluctuations. 
  

   The 
  high 
  degree 
  of 
  similarity 
  between 
  the 
  single 
  

   specimens 
  of 
  a 
  vegetative 
  variety, 
  and 
  the 
  large 
  

   amount 
  of 
  variability 
  in 
  seed-races 
  strongly 
  

   supports 
  this 
  view. 
  The 
  propagation 
  and 
  multi- 
  

   plication 
  of 
  the 
  extremes 
  of 
  fluctuating 
  varia- 
  

   bility 
  by 
  means 
  of 
  seeds 
  requires 
  a 
  close 
  

   consideration 
  of 
  the 
  relation 
  between 
  seedling 
  

   and 
  parent. 
  The 
  easiest 
  way 
  to 
  get 
  a 
  clear 
  con- 
  

   ception 
  of 
  this 
  relation 
  is 
  to 
  make 
  use 
  of 
  the 
  

   ideas 
  concerning 
  the 
  dependency 
  of 
  variability 
  

   upon 
  nourishment. 
  Assuming 
  these 
  to 
  be 
  cor- 
  

   rect 
  in 
  the 
  main, 
  and 
  leaving 
  aside 
  all 
  minor 
  

   questions, 
  we 
  may 
  conclude 
  that 
  the 
  chosen 
  

   extreme 
  individual 
  is 
  one 
  of 
  the 
  best 
  nourished 
  

   and 
  intrinsically 
  most 
  vigorous 
  of 
  the 
  whole 
  

   culture. 
  On 
  account 
  of 
  these 
  very 
  qualities 
  it 
  

   is 
  capable 
  of 
  nourishing 
  all 
  of 
  its 
  organs 
  better 
  

   and 
  also 
  its 
  seeds. 
  In 
  other 
  words, 
  the 
  seeds 
  

  

  