426 Ever-sporting Varieties 



ever, is not at all the case. It is easy to re- 

 turn from so highly selected figures as for in- 

 stance 95^ to the average about of 50^, as 

 regression to mediocrity is always an easy mat- 

 ter. But to transgress this average on the 

 lower side seems to be as difficult as it is on the 

 upper side. I continued the experiment during 

 four succeeding generations, but was not able to 

 go lower than about 10^, and could not even ex- 

 clude the high figures from my strain. Parents 

 with 65 - 75^ of syncotylous seedlings returned 

 in each generation, notwithstanding the most 

 careful contra-selection. The attribute is in- 

 herent in the race, and is not to be eliminated by 

 so simple a means as selection, nor even by a se- 

 lection on the ground of hereditary percentages. 



We have dealt with torsions and fasciations 

 and with seedling variations at some length, in 

 order to point out the phases needing investiga- 

 tion according to recent views. It would be 

 quite superfluous to consider other anomalies in 

 a similar manner, as they all obey the same laws. 

 A hasty survey may suffice to show what pros- 

 pects they offer to the student of nature. 



First of all come the variegated leaves. They 

 are perhaps the most variable of all variations. 

 They are evidently dependent on external cir- 

 cumstances, and by adequate nutrition the 

 leaves may even become absolutely white or 



