344 DARWINISM TO-DAY. 



This interesting plant has afforded me the means of ob- 

 serving directly how new species originate, and of studying 

 the laws of these changes. My researches have followed a 

 double line of inquiry. On one side, I have limited myself 

 to direct field observations, and to trials of seed, collected 

 from the wild plants in their native locality. Obviously the 

 mutations are decided within the seed, and the culture of 

 young plants from them had no other aim than that of 

 ascertaining what had occurred in the field. But then the 

 many chances of destruction that threaten young plants in a 

 wild state could be avoided in the garden, where environ- 

 mental factors can be controlled. 



"My second line of inquiry was an experimental repetition 

 of the phenomena which were only partly discerned at the 

 native locality. It was not my aim to intrude into the 

 process, nor to try to bring out new features. My only ob- 

 ject was to submit to the precepts just given concerning 

 pure treatment, individual seed-gathering, exclusion of 

 crosses, and accurate recording of all the facts. The result 

 has been a pedigree which now permits of stating the rela- 

 tion between all the descendants of my original introduced 

 plant. This pedigree at once exhibits the laws follo\ved by 

 the mutating species. The main fact is, that it does not 

 change itself gradually, but remains unaffected during all 

 succeeding generations. It only throws off new forms, 

 which are sharply contrasted with the parent, and which 

 are from the very beginning as perfect and as constant, as 

 narrowly defined, and as pure of type as might be expected 

 of any species. 



'These new species are not produced once or in single 

 individuals, but yearly and in large numbers. The whole 

 phenomenon conveys the idea of a close group of mutations, 

 all belonging to one single condition of mutability. Of 

 course this mutable state must have had a beginning, as it 

 must sometime come to an end. It is to be considered as a 



