518 The Inconstancy of Fasciatcd Races. 
as SOLMS-LAUBACH suggests, to ultimately obtain the un- 
fasciated original form of this highly modified plant. 1 
But according to the view laid down in this book, a mu- 
tation would be necessary for this ; 
and, so far as we know, these ap- 
pear only very seldom and fortui- 
tously, unless we happen to meet 
with a plant in a mutational period. 
During the years 1893-1897 I 
endeavored to obtain a race devoid 
of fasciations, but in vain ; and in- 
asmuch as the general rule is that 
favorable circumstances increase 
the production of the anomalies, 
and as correspondingly the worst 
nourished and weakest individuals 
have always borne the smallest fas- 
*/ 
ciations, I was ultimately obliged 
to give up the experiment, because 
my strain gradually became very 
much debilitated without, however, 
producing the desired result. 
In 1893 I raised about fifty 
plants from bought seed, but did 
not make any detailed record of 
them. Most of them produced 
combs in every degree of devel- 
shaped but mostly with opment, 2 but usually of small size. 
Fig. 117. Cclosia cris- 
tata. Top of a plant 
about V-2 meter high ; 
the stem was much 
branched and its in- 
florescences were ear- 
comb-shaped 
5 10 centimeters broad or less. 
1 H. SOLMS-LAUBACH, Bot. Zcitung, 1900, p. 42. 
'' The plane of the fasciation is the median plane of the cotyle- 
dons ; and this is also the case in Crcpis bicunis. This fact might 
be used as a starting point for an inquiry into the ontogeny of fas- 
ciations. 
