256 



THE GUIDE TO NATURE 



times are gone, but why should there 

 not be a renaissance of the turnover, 

 commensurate with its merits, since 

 its architectural construction is not a 

 lost art as has been supposed? How 

 could a mere turnover stand impreg- 

 nable, and preserve its identity, after 

 its very interior had been ruthlessly 

 destroyed by the march of progress? 

 Tell me that. 



Very truly yours, 

 (Mrs.) Frances E. Seaney. 



Why Potato Balls are Going. 



To the Editor : 



According to the current number of 

 The Guide to Nature, interest in the 

 potato ball question continues. Let us 

 look at the fundamentals of the ques- 

 tion from the biologist's viewpoint. In 

 the vegetable and animal world a basic 

 fund of protoplasmic energy is vested 

 by nature in a race. Species in the race 

 have an allowance of protoplasmic 

 energy which is less than that of the 

 race. Varieties of a species have an 

 allowance of protoplasmic energy 

 which is less than that of the species. 

 Cultivated potatoes represent varieties 

 of a species belonging to a race, and 

 we are therefore dealing with varietal 

 groups which are short of stock in pro- 

 toplasmic energy What does that 

 mean? It means that a cultivated var- 

 iety will decline when it has reached 

 cultural limitations. When a cultiva- 

 ted variety of potato, horse or man has 

 reached cultural limitations it follows 

 the laws which lead to senility of pro- 

 toplasm. The first evidence of decline 

 is manifested in the lessened functions 

 of organs which are essential for pur- 

 poses of procreation. In the case of 

 man the desire for marriage is inhibi- 

 ted. Sociologists make a great fuss 

 over sociologic factors in the question, 

 and they overlook nature's little pro- 

 toplasmic joke. In the case of the po- 

 tato nature prevents development of 

 seed but allows a variety to have a joy 

 ride for some years longer with its tu- 

 bers, before cultural limitations are 

 reached. Finally nature calls her 

 microbe agents to her aid and says, 

 "Sic 'em ! Go for those tubers !" Then 

 the horticulturilists make a great fuss 

 over cultural pro1:)lems in the question. 



and they fail to observe nature's little 

 protoplasmic joke. 



As a boy I often made thirty cents 

 in a day for buying powder and shot 

 by digging peachblows, Colebrook 

 seedlings, Mercers, Prince Alberts and 

 Cuzcoes. Where are these varieties 

 of potatoes today? Gone; along with 

 descendants of the signers of the Mag- 

 na Charta and the Declaration of In- 

 dependence, and for the same reason. 

 Where today are the Morgan horses, 

 Newfoundland dogs and Wilson straw- 

 berries? Going! Why? Because of 

 the working of the law of cultural limi- 

 tations. The logical end of culture is 

 elimination of the race, with loss of 

 varieties first. The more rapidly and 

 thoroug'hly culture of an animal or 

 vegetable variety is conducted by man, 

 the sooner will that variety come to its 

 protoplasmic end. A variety of potato 

 goes to its long rest shortly after the 

 ball is over. The reason why the birth 

 rate is now falling in Aryan civilized 

 countries is the reason why potato 

 balls are disappearing. Nations will 

 all go the way of varieties of potatoes 

 and for the same reason. If any of 

 your readers are really interested in the 

 biologist's understanding of these ques- 

 tions they may step into a pubb'c 

 library and call for a book entitled 

 "Microbes and Men." In the index 

 will be found various references to the 

 subject of cultural limitations. Your 

 readers will then cease to wonder why 

 their blooded horses, cattle and fowls 

 do not breed better, why their own 

 families are dying out, and why their 

 potatoes no longer have potent balls. 

 Robert T. Morris, M. D. 



Concerning the Cat's Tail. 



Stamford, Conn. 

 To the Editor: 



You ask me confidently, "What is 

 the use of a cat's tail?" Though flat- 

 tered, my first answer must be that I 

 don't know. I was not present at the 

 creation. 



If you had asked me about the kan- 

 garoo, now, I need not have confessed 

 my ignorance. I might have told you 

 how useful was the creature's tail as a 

 thing to sit on, or perchance to main- 

 tain his balance when he comes down 

 from a jum]-). Remembering the skele- 



