﻿Inconstancy 
  of 
  Improved 
  Races 
  785 
  

  

  is 
  exactly 
  what 
  is 
  gained 
  by 
  repeated 
  selections. 
  

   To 
  my 
  mind 
  this 
  reduction 
  of 
  the 
  size 
  of 
  the 
  cul- 
  

   tures 
  is 
  probably 
  the 
  sole 
  effect 
  of 
  the 
  repeti- 
  

   tion. 
  But 
  experience 
  is 
  lacking 
  on 
  this 
  point, 
  

   and 
  exact 
  comparisons 
  should 
  be 
  made 
  when- 
  

   ever 
  possible, 
  between 
  the 
  descendants 
  of 
  a 
  

   unique 
  but 
  extreme 
  choice, 
  and 
  a 
  repeated 
  but 
  

   smaller 
  selection. 
  The 
  effect 
  of 
  the 
  repetition 
  

   on 
  the 
  nourishment 
  of 
  the 
  chosen 
  representa- 
  

   tives 
  should 
  be 
  studied, 
  for 
  it 
  is 
  clear 
  that 
  a 
  

   plant 
  with 
  22 
  rows, 
  the 
  parents 
  and 
  grandpar- 
  

   ents 
  of 
  which 
  had 
  the 
  same 
  number, 
  indicates 
  a 
  

   better 
  condition 
  of 
  internal 
  qualities 
  than 
  one 
  

   with 
  the 
  same 
  number 
  of 
  rows, 
  produced 
  acci- 
  

   dentally 
  from 
  the 
  common 
  race. 
  In 
  this 
  way 
  it 
  

   may 
  perhaps 
  be 
  possible 
  to 
  explain, 
  why 
  in 
  my 
  

   experiment 
  an 
  ear 
  with 
  22 
  rows 
  gave 
  an 
  average 
  

   offspring 
  with 
  20, 
  while 
  the 
  calculation, 
  found- 
  

   ed 
  on 
  the 
  regression 
  alone 
  would 
  require 
  a 
  

   parental 
  ear 
  with 
  32 
  rows. 
  

  

  However, 
  as 
  already 
  stated, 
  this 
  discussion 
  

   is 
  only 
  intended 
  to 
  convey 
  some 
  general 
  idea 
  

   as 
  to 
  the 
  reduction 
  of 
  the 
  cultures 
  by 
  means 
  of 
  

   repeated 
  selections, 
  as 
  the 
  material 
  at 
  hand 
  is 
  

   wholly 
  inadequate 
  for 
  any 
  closer 
  calculation. 
  

   This 
  important 
  point 
  of 
  the 
  reduction 
  may 
  be 
  

   illustrated 
  in 
  still 
  another 
  manner. 
  

  

  The 
  sowing 
  of 
  very 
  large 
  numbers 
  is 
  only 
  re- 
  

   quired 
  because 
  it 
  is 
  impossible 
  to 
  tell 
  from 
  the 
  

  

  