170 Retrograde Varieties 



Wherever this variety is cultivated the same re- 

 version may be seen; it is produced abundant- 

 ly, and even under seemingly normal circmn- 

 stances. But as in the case of the Ribes all the 

 specimens are derived by buds from a single 

 original plant. The variety was introduced 

 from Japan about the year 1860, but is prob- 

 ably much older. Nothing is known as to its 

 real origin. It never bears flowers or fruits. 

 It is curious to note that the analogous variety 

 of the European yew, Taxus haccata fastigiata, 

 though much more commonly cultivated than 

 the Cephalotaxus, never reverts, at least as far 

 as I have been able to ascertain. This clearly 

 corroborates the explanation given above. 



After considering these rare instances of 

 more widely known reversions, we may now ex- 

 amine the question of atavism from a broader 

 point of view. But in doing so it should once 

 more be remembered, that all cases of hybrid- 

 ism and also all varieties sporting annually or 

 frequently, are to be wholly excluded. Only the 

 very rare occurrence of instances of atavism in 

 varieties that are for the rest known to be ab- 

 solutely constant, is to be considered. 



Atavism or reversion is the falling back to a 

 prototype. But what is a prototype? We may 

 take the word in a physiologic or in a systematic 

 sense. Physiologically the signification is a 



