276 



he Journal of Heredity 



to lay down a normal supi)l\' of starch 

 and the seeds are of comparatively low 

 \'iability. Other kinds have the lej^aunes 

 and surrounding stem devoid of the 

 normal supply of chlorojihyll (wax- 

 podded). These sorts, with us, have 

 been noticeably weak in stem, requiring 

 tying to stakes at frequent intervals, 

 yield but few seeds and breed with inuch 

 difhculty. All such i^lants that lack the 

 full complement of nourishment in the 

 seed and chlorophyll in the ])lant 

 are poorly equipjjed for the struggle of 

 wild life. 



In the same category is included the 

 large group of wax-beans also recessives 

 to their green-jjodded relatives. Here 

 the failure to produce chlorophyll does 

 not extend far beyond the pods and the 

 vigor of such varieties is not greatly 

 diminished. 



The above observations have been 

 drawn from the Records of breeding work 

 that has been carried on for other ])ur- 

 poses than the particular study of de- 

 generates. It seems to me that the 

 degenerates, as they have been used in 

 the work, are not forceful as comjjared 

 with the normal type. The appearance 

 of unfit individuals seems to result from 

 the breeding together of kinds that are 

 not congenial because of one or more of 

 many possible reasons. Such unions are 

 forced and the greater the lack of con- 

 sanguinity, within the comparatively 

 narrow range of possible union, the 

 larger the numljer of defectives. These 

 misfits belong to the two extremes of a 

 large series of types, namely, those that 

 show from the start a feebleness that 

 results in restricted growth and repro- 

 duction; and secondly, those in which 

 excessive vegetative vigor is associated 



with ]jartial or entire barrenness. Such 

 unions are vital to the progress of our 

 knowledge of heredity, but along with the 

 creations of great value there are ob- 

 tained many defectives that from the 

 practical side need to be surpressed. 



WORTHLESS NOVELTIES 



Xo thoughtful person would decry the 

 widest ]jossible breeding among ])lants 

 in order that the range of unions may 

 become well known, but at the same 

 time a novelty does not spell superiority 

 and it calls for true courage upon the 

 part of the originator to cast the bulk 

 of his pets into the burn heap. 



When a ])lant having an inherited 

 deformity or weakness is bred with the 

 normal type its abnormality usually 

 enters into the union as a recessive and 

 is subject to great modifications through 

 future generations. Records show that 

 there is a linkage or coherence between 

 the dependent characters in the de- 

 generates of the cross; e. g., size of fruit 

 and size of ])lant. 



Such breeding, because of the many 

 failures, calls for much patience, and 

 one is fortunate in getting the union 

 reciprocally. 



Recessives when the characters in- 

 volved are related to plant stamina as 

 lack of size, of chlorophyll, or of fruitful- 

 ness are weak, and in so far are unfit, 

 but this does not include the great mass 

 of recessives as regards form of flower, 

 fruit and seed, etc. 



Unless the degenerates are grown for 

 the special character that is their 

 weakness (such commercial strains are 

 numerous and valuable), they might 

 well be kept from mingling with the 

 healthy tyjies. 



The Extremes of Intelligence in School Children 



Not far from 2'/6 ff the children en- 

 rolled in the jmblic schools must be 

 looked upon as real defectives, accord- 

 ing to Prof. Lewis M. Terman of Stan- 

 ford University (The Measurement oj 

 Intelligence, 1916). The number of 

 children with very superior intellectual 

 ability is approximately as great as the 

 number of feebleminded, he thinks; and 

 ufjon this superior 2*''( "the future wel- 



fare of the c<)UiUr\' hinges in no small 

 degree." He finds that teachers usually 

 overestimate the intelligence of the in- 

 ferior children and underestimate the 

 intelligence of the sui)erior ones. There 

 is great need for the use of reliable 

 mental tests in education, if the chil- 

 dren of su])crior ability are to be recog- 

 nized and given the op|)ortunities which 

 the\- deserw. 



