BABCOCK'S WALNUT 



395 



tilization, we would have haploid 

 growth. If the new sporophyte de- 

 velops from the fertilized egg in the 

 embryo sac, or adventitiously from 

 sporophytic tissue, we would have the 

 development of a cell containing a 

 double number of chromosomes and 

 we might anticipate uniformity in size 

 and other characteristics among the 

 progeny, with close resemblance to the 

 parent. 



In my parthenogenetic butternuts, 

 chestnuts and hickories, however, there 

 has been a notable disparity in size of 

 progeny. A theoretical assumption is 

 that in the course of parthenogenesis 

 nature has lost control over the checks 

 which are commonly placed upon a 

 species, for the purpose of limiting vari- 

 ation, in the interest of maintenance of 

 a mean type. 



Nature's checks belong to those me- 

 chanistic processes which relate to the 

 chemistry of plant growth. Chemistry 

 has been described as "everything that 

 is going on." This is not only literally 

 true but the "going on" is mechanistic- 

 ally arranged according to equations of 

 the periodic table. Atomic and mole- 

 cular changes belonging to variation 

 and mutation will presumably be 

 treated mathematically by that physi- 

 cist of the future who is a specialist 

 in some department of botany. At the 

 present time the nature of checks upon 



BUTTERNUT PARTHENOGEN. 

 Height fifty-seven inches. 



variation cannot be stated scientific- 

 ally, but from the metaphysical stand- 

 point, we may assume that such checks 

 exist and that they are subject to ex- 

 ternal impressions made in various 

 ways. 



Among the lower plant forms, ow- 

 ing to their simplicity, we would an- 

 ticipate a uniformity in size of parthe- 

 nogens, but as we ascend in the scale 

 we must have more and more crosses 

 in order to prevent the numerous 

 characters from becoming accentu- 

 ated (more effort required on the part 

 of nature for maintaining a durable 

 mean type). Disparity in size of par- 

 thenogens among higher plant forms 

 might then be anticipated on that 

 basis. , 



It will be interesting to observe if 

 the Babcock walnut has developed by 

 haploid system, in which case it will 

 presumably be sterile. If it has oc- 

 curred from abnormal fusion of two 

 cells of a parent we may still have 

 diploid development and a fertile fruit, 

 the progeny of which might simplify 

 the question relating to the nature of 

 this new walnut. 



BUTTERNUT PARTHENOGEN. 



Height thirty-three inches. 



Whatever the common eye sees at all 

 and expresses a- best it may, he sees un- 

 commonly, and expresses with rare com- 

 pleteness. — Thorean. 



