SELECTIVE EVOLUTION 209 



It would seem that much of the ingenuity 

 evident in nature is directed toward a twofold 

 end: 



First, toward producing an endless combina- 

 tion of heredities in plants of the same kind 

 which, to give them a name, we may call crosses. 



And second, to prevent the combination of 

 things out of kind which, to distinguish them 

 from crosses, we may call hybrids. 



The first aim insures infinite variation the 

 mixing up of parallel strains of heredity in such 

 a way that no two living things are exactly alike, 

 and that, in each new balance of tendencies pro- 

 duced, there is the possibility of an improvement. 



The second explains why, though all roses dif- 

 fer from each other, yet all are roses why, 

 though every living thing has its own individual- 

 ity, its own personality, each bears the unmistak- 

 able characteristics of its kind. 



"Here and there through nature, nevertheless, 

 are hybrids. Are these accidents the result of 

 some carelessness, some lapse?" 



Everything that is, is a definite part of the 

 Scheme of Things. 



We see crossing between kinds and realize its 

 tendency and purpose, and see its value in the 

 Scheme, because it is going on about us always, 

 everywhere because it is a quick-moving pro- 



