42 
Latent and S end-Latent Characters. 
several occurred with trifoliate (instead of single) pri- 
mordial leaves (Fig. 4). I only selected these as seed-bear- 
ers, for transplanting, and I effected a considerable simpli- 
fication in my cultures by adopting this mark as a cri- 
terion for all further selection of stock plants. For the 
definitive selection could now be made 2-3 weeks after 
sowing, and it was not necessary to pay any further 
attention to the development of the character; this was 
fully insured. Nevertheless I took care by means of 
further experiments to sat- 
isfy myself that there exists 
a fairly close relation be- 
tween a large number of 4-7- 
merous leaves on a plant and 
a high percentage of abnor- 
mal seedings produced by it. 
In July 1893 I only saved 
the 12 best plants raised 
from the seed of the plant 
of 1892 with 60% abnormal 
offspring. With the excep- 
tion of two plants they all 
bore not only 4-6-foliate 
leaves, but even some 7- 
merous ones. The four best had 27, 30, 33 and 34 of 
this latter type. There were no leaves with more than 
seven leaflets. 
The plant with 34 7-merous leaves also produced the 
highest percentage of abnormal seedlings, as shown by 
the result of the sowing in the following spring. Of 209 
seedlings produced, 51 had a bimerous, and 61 a trimer- 
ous, primordial leaf, i. e., 55% of abnormalities. It was 
therefore chosen as seed-parent (see p. 38). It should 
Fig. 4. Tri folium pratense quin- 
quefoliuni. A, Seedling with 
a trifoliate primordial leaf. 
B, C, Seedlings with single 
and bimerous primordial 
leaves ; these two latter types 
were regarded in my race as 
atavistic. 
