East: E. S. Carman 



67 



although with one exception the rose 

 hy])rids were the only ones that were 

 extremely valuable. This was the Car- 

 man Gooseberry. Here was a goose- 

 berry that might have revolutionized 

 gooseberry growing sinee in a limited 

 test it was mildew proof, but unfor- 

 tunately the seed firm to whieh it was 

 sold was unable to propagate it. 



The roses were perhaps the real 

 attraction of the "Rural Grounds." 

 The Rosa riigosa of Japan was the 

 foundation stock, and upon it were 

 crossed first the Austrian hardy yellow 

 rose known as Harrison's Yellow, then 

 Hybrid Perpetuals and afterwards Hy- 

 brid Teas. From these crosses hundreds 

 of plants were raised — most of them, of 

 course, worthless, but some of remark- 

 able beauty. From the first cross men- 

 tioned came the Agnes Emily Carman, a 

 fine, hardy, longlived, though thorny 

 variety. In color it was like the 

 Jacqueminot, but many times as profuse 

 in blossoming. From other crosses 

 came procumbent roses, hedge roses, tea 

 roses, etc., etc. They did not attain 

 pre-eminence as did the potato varieties 

 but they helped and still help to brighten 

 many a flower garden. 



Elbert S. Carman was born on 

 November 30, 1836, in Hempstead, 

 Long Island. He entered Brown Uni- 

 versity in 1854, rooming ■ with John 

 Hay. He was obliged to withdraw after 

 two years of work, however, on account 

 of illness. In 1873, he married Agnes 

 E. Brown, by whom he had two chil- 

 dren. Immediately after his marriage 

 he moved to River Edge, N. J., where 

 he began to plant and experiment on 

 the place that afterward became so 

 well known as the "Rural Grounds." 

 While here he became so interested in 

 Moore's Rural New-Yorker as a con- 

 tributor, that he purchased the paper 

 and became its editor in 1876. Through 

 an absolutely open and honest policy, 

 he made this journal a power in the 

 agricultural world. For many years it 

 has stood out against all frauds and 

 impostures to the farmer, even though 

 this went against its monetary interests. 

 Mr. Carman died February 28, 1900, 

 regretted by the many friends he had 

 made in his editorial capacity, who 

 wrote of him like the hero of Leigh 

 Hunt's ever popular poem, "as one 

 who loved his fellow men." 



The Chromosome Hypothesis of Heredity 



A working hypothesis of some sort is an essential too! of an advaneing branch of experimental 

 science. It behooves us in the study of heredity to use the best hypothesis we have, until it is 

 replaced by a better. 



The chief objections to the chromosome hypothesis, so far as I can gather them, are: 



1. The English pioneer, Batcson, used instead the working hypothesis of somatic segregation. 



2. The chromosome hypothesis does not appeal to physiologists and chemists. 



3. The affairs of the chromosomes may be regarded as a consequence instead of as a cause. 



4. IVIany of the changes of chromosomes and nucleus are still uncertain. 



5. The chromosome hypothesis was discredited by Weismann's extensive and untested spec- 

 ulations 



On the other hand, there are advantages in the use of the chromosome hypothesis. 



1. Bateson's counter hypothesis of somatic segregation has proved barren, and appears to be 

 contradicted by certain facts. 



2. Sirasburger's unrivalled experience found the chromosome hypothesis to fit the facts of 

 plant cytology as well as those of inheritance. 



3. The chromosome hypothesis fits the breeding facts of the Cambridge school even better 

 than their own hypothesis. 



4. It has been used as a fertile working hypothesis by Morgan and his fellow-workers in their 

 unique experiments at Columbia University. 



5. It seems to be coming more and more into use in accounts of research in plant breeding. 

 It has, I think, no serious rival. Whether we like it or not, it appears to be here to stay. 



It must be remembered that an experimenter does not usually question whether the hypothesis 

 he uses is true or false, but whether it is useful or barren in leading to new experiments or con- 

 necting up facts. Working with it will soon show whether it is good or bad. 



John Belling, Florida Agricultural Experiment Station. 



