482 Syjicofyloits Races. 



of 1890, selected for the syncotyloiis race, the following- 

 percentage numhers of syncotyls : 



19 48 54 56 62 68 69 73 80 84 88 96 



If we compare this series with the pedigree on page 

 470 and especially with the figures given there for 1890 

 and later vears, it will be seen that it is almost only the 

 first two figures 19 and 48% which fall outside the group 

 of values of the syncotylous offspring of tlie selected 

 seed-parents. 



A selection of atavists as seed-parents continued 

 through several generations, and a selection amongst 

 these of specimens which produce the smallest percentage 

 of syncotyls, will obviously reduce the mean value of 

 such a race, but not to such an extent as to justify the 

 expectation that a continuation of the process will lead 

 to the origin of a half race. I started such an experiment 

 in the summer of 1894, from the seeds of the harvest of 

 1892. I selected a specimen from my syncotylous race, 

 (p. 470), wdiich had produced 92% syncotyls and only 

 8% atavists, and planted out the latter only. Since that 

 time I have cultivated the race continuously and on an 

 isolated spot and have planted out every year only the 

 seedlings from those parents which had produced the 

 largest number of atavists amongst their offspring. From 

 these I always selected the pure dicotylous seedlings only. 



T determined the hereditary value for each example 

 and combined these in small groups in the usual way. At 

 the top of the pedigree on page 483 will be found the 

 mean values of these groups (5=^1 — 9, 15 = 10 — 19 

 etc.), and, vertically below these figures the corresponding 

 number of individuals. The figures at the top give the 

 percentage num1)ers of syncotyls. Tlie pedigree can, 



