Variability in Garden Plants. 5 



I, pp. 77-80). Many white flowered varieties afford 

 good examples of this kind of novelty. 



But it is very different with the second case. A nov- 

 elty which exhibits fluctuating variability in a high de- 

 gree seldom makes its first appearance in a full state of 

 development. As a rule it is very slightly developed at 

 first. The novelty is betrayed, as the expression is, by 

 a quite small trace or indication. From the scientific 

 standpoint we have to regard this as a /////n^^-variant, 

 i. e., as an extreme variant in the minus direction of the 

 new character (Vol. I, p. 51). And it is plain that the 

 seeds of such a variant of the new variety will, when 

 sown in the garden, soon give the mean value of the 

 character in Cjuestion. 



This process is, as we can easily see, fundamentally 

 a phenomenon of regression (Vol. I, Figs. 18 and 19, pp. 

 72> and 84) ; but to the breeder it is a progressive change, 

 and by no means an inconsiderable one, since on it the 

 success of his operations largely depends. This apparent 

 paradox, however, has been a great obstacle to the under- 

 standing of these phenomena. But, to us, it explains in 

 a very clear way the initial and rapid increase in varia- 

 bility ; for it is obvious that an approximation to the 

 mean value will take place much more easily and rapidly 

 than a departure from it. 



The breeder can now either rest content with this 

 ''regressive advance" ; or he can endeavor to raise the 

 new form above its mean value by choosing plus-variants 

 as seed-parents. But in the latter case the value of the 

 new form remains dependent on the continuance of se- 

 lection (Vol. I, p. 80). 



Notes dealing with this process of breeding are not 

 rare in horticultural literature, but they are generally 



