2 THE MENDEL JOURNAL 



its presentation and promulgation are concerned, has 

 two courses open to it. These two alternatives are 

 inevitable. Mendel ism differs in this respect from 

 subjects which are j)urely academic, because these are 

 only presented and discussed in scientific societies 

 and in their journals. But Mendelism is a subject 

 which comes into the category of the " Humanities " ; 

 it will be discussed in various circles, by people more 

 or less well acquainted with it, and more or less 

 antagonistic to it. Must its wider promulgation 

 necessarily be left wholly to them ? We think all 

 will agree that a better alternative lies before us. 



It is better that Mendelism shall be presented to 

 a wider public by men who believe in its truth, who 

 foresee its future, and who recognise their responsi- 

 bilities in the work they do. That is one of the objects 

 with which the " Mendel Journal " starts upon its 

 career, and which forms the far distant beacon-light 

 towards which it will consistently steer. 



But it has another object. It is to gather for the 

 Science of Genetics a harvest rich in facts relating to 

 human pedigrees and the inheritance of normal 

 characters as well as of peculiarities. To find these 

 the seeker must quit the experimental garden and the 

 cloister, and he must pass out into the world of his 

 fellows. From them shall the grain be gathered in 

 order that it may be garnered in these pages. A 

 golden field, ripe for the harvest, awaits the coming 

 of the Mendelian reapers. We appeal to all who are 

 acquainted with families in which peculiarities and 

 markedly contrasted normal characters, have run 



