BIOLOGY, EXPERIMENTAI, — DAVEjNPGRT. 95 



Origin of Nezv Characteristics. — This is the most important work in 

 hand. If by any means new, inheritable characteristics can be brought 

 out, then new races can be created. If characteristics can be induced of a 

 desired sort, then evolution can be directed at will. Some of the new 

 characteristics that we get are of the order of mutations and can not, at 

 present, be predicted nor controlled. Others result from hybridization. 

 Others still are induced by subjecting the parent to new conditions. As 

 is well known, in the abnormal environment new characteristics arise ; we 

 are studying the method of inheritance of such new characteristics. There 

 is reason for thinking that various agents ma}^ permanently modify the 

 germ plasm ; at least we are testing the matter. 



Identity of Evolutionary Processes in Plants and Animals. — From its 

 inception we have studied equally plants and animals in the conviction 

 that evolutionary processes are similar in all organisms. Our experience 

 so far has justified our conviction. It has been stimulating, in our weekly 

 conferences, to note the parallelism of the results reported by those work- 

 ing with plants, insects, birds, and mammals. 



WORK OF DEPARTMENTS. 



The work with plants has hitherto been conducted solely by Dr. George 

 H. Shull. Owing to his temporary assignment to study the work of Mr. 

 Luther Burbank, Dr. E. N. Transeau, formerly of Alma College, Michi- 

 gan, and earlier of the University of Michigan and of the University of 

 Chicago, has been appointed to the resident staff. Dr. Transeau will con- 

 tinue many of the experiments started by Dr. Shull and will undertake in 

 addition the study of adaptation in plants. For this work a set of instru- 

 ments capable of analyzing the environmental factors will be required. 

 The expansion of the botanical work has made it necessary to rent a 

 parcel of land situated about a mile distant from the Station. 



The investigations upon insects have made more rapid progress as the 

 technical difficulties of breeding them have been overcome. They have 

 proved excellent material for experiments on the influence of changed con- 

 ditions of life. Valuable results have been gained on the inheritance of 

 different types of variations. As the experiments have far outgrown the 

 space available in the laboratory, a new vivarium is being built for them. 

 Since the addition of an inexpensive helper has increased by several fold 

 the scientific output of other departments, it is proposed to employ, next 

 season, a vivarium boy to assist in the mechanical part of the insect work. 



The work with domesticated races was five times as extensive this year 

 as last, owing to the employment of a poultryman and the construction of 

 fifty new breeding pens. Sixty distinct sets of experiments were made 

 with poultry. Approximately 10,000 eggs were recorded, with few excep- 

 tions from exactly known mother and father. The number of chicks 



