40 THE THEORY OF NATURAL SELECTION 



affording the material upon which natural selection 

 might be expected to operate. 



The idea that a selective influence exists in Nature 

 arose from a study of the remarkable effects produced 

 in the case of domestic animals and plants by the action 

 of artificial selection. Darwin seems, however, to have 

 been a little credulous in accepting the statements of 

 certain breeders with regard to their power of producing 

 any desired new type to order. Now that scientific 

 men are themselves beginning to make experiments 

 in breeding, with the check of exact records to act 

 as a drag upon the exuberance of the imagination, 

 they are becoming somewhat sceptical as to the mystic 

 and almost miraculous powers attributed to the old- 

 fashioned breeders, though, indeed, Mr. Luther Bur- 

 bank would seem to be a survival from the period 

 we speak of, if the statements of his recent enthusiastic 

 biographer are to be credited.* Less gifted but more 

 methodical observers find that they have no creative 

 powers worth speaking of, and that all they can do is 

 to keep a sharp look-out for the novelties which Nature 

 may send them. 



Selection, whether natural or artificial, can indeed 

 of itself have no power in the direction of creating 

 anything new ; its influence is destructive or preserva- 

 tive, but nothing more than this. The breeder keeps 

 the new forms which take his fancy, and destroys the 

 rest ; that is the whole story. 



* Harwood, ' New Creations in Plant Life.' Mr. Burbank 

 certainly seems to have a really wonderful instinct for the dis- 

 covery of curious and useful novelties. 



