THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES. 33 



ence that probably no organic being self -fertilizes in- 

 definitely ; but that a cross with another individual is 

 occasionally — perhaps at very long intervals — indis- 

 pensable. We refer the reader to the section on the 

 intercrossing of individuals (pp. 96-101), and also to an 

 article in the Gardeners' Chronicle a year and a half 

 ago, for the details of a very interesting contribution 

 to science, irrespective of theory. 



In domestication, this intercrossing may be pre- 

 vented ; and in this prevention lies the art of pro- 

 ducing varieties. But " the art itself is Mature," since 

 the whole art consists in allowing the most universal 

 of all natural tendencies in organic things (inheritance) 

 to operate uncontrolled by other and obviously inci- 

 dental tendencies. !N"o new power, no artificial force, 

 is brought into play either by separating the stock of 

 a desirable variety so as to prevent mixture, or by 

 selecting for breeders those individuals which most 

 largely partake of the pecularities for which the breed 

 is valued. 1 



We see everywhere around us the remarkable 

 results which Nature may be said to have brought 

 about under artificial selection and separation. Could 

 she accomplish similar results when left to herself ? 

 Variations might begin, we know they do begin, in a 

 wild state. But would any of them be preserved and 

 carried to an equal degree of deviation \ Is there any- 

 thing in Nature which in the long-run may answer to 



1 The rules and processes of breeders of animals, and their results, 

 are so familiar that they need not be particularized. Less is popularly 

 known about the production of vegetable races. We refer our readers 

 back to this Journal, vol. xxvii., pp. 440-442 (May, 1859), for an ab- 

 stract of the papers of M. Vilmorin upon this subject. 



