The Significance of the Atavists. 



517 



generally known as the coxcomb, is peculiarly well suitccl 

 for an investigation of atavism. The great combs pro- 

 duced by this favorite garden plant are merely the se- 

 lected well treated and highly nourished individuals, i e., 

 the extreme plus variants of the race.^ All the rest are 

 thrown away in their early stages by the gardener; but 

 if we wish to know how the race really behaves, we must 



Fig. ii6. Celosia cristata. An almost entire plant under 

 poor treatment. Top comb-shaped but small ; most of 

 the lateral branches were also broadened at their tips. 



make sowings ourselves and plant out all the individuals 

 without selection, and cultivate them further. It is well 

 known that in this way we obtain numerous plants with 

 branched stems and with a much lower degree of the 

 antjmaly (Figs. 116 and 117). By the selection of these 

 minus variants for further cultivation one might expect, 



^ For the mode of cultivation suitable for this variety see !Mol- 

 ler's Deutsche Garteii-zeitting, 1892, p. 200. 



