300 REPORT OF THE CONFERENCE ON GENETICS. 
SUMMARY OF RESULTS. 
So far as my own experience goes, it seems that the occurrence of 
xenia as an influence of the pericarp is of rare occurrence, and, in my 
opinion, considerably more experiment is needed to establish the phenomena 
on a firm basis of positive fact. The methods of the recognition of 
colour are at present too inexact, and scme chemical or microscopical 
test is needed. ‘The experiments with apples and peaches and nectarines 
are open, of course, to the objection that the pollen of these fruits as 
hybrids would be mixed; but even then the resulting fruits might be 
expected to show some variation, though not corresponding to the pollen- 
parent. I cannot, perhaps, sum up the position better than in the words 
used by Bacon in his preface to the “ Novum Organum”’ in reference to 
science in general, when he says “ that it is not so much an opinion to be 
held as a work to be done.”’ 
