FINAL SELECTION 69 



new races, differing as to some conspicuous char- 

 acter, by simple selection from a given stock. 



The case of my winter rhubarb, which came 

 to have a relatively gigantic stalk, will be re- 

 called as of similar import ; although in that case 

 the experiment was complicated by having to 

 bear in mind various other qualities in addition 

 to mere size of stalk. My giant corn and the 

 corn with the wonderful rainbow-striped leaves 

 are other examples. 



SOME ALARMING FIGURES 



But, as repeatedly pointed out, the experi- 

 ment usually is complicated by the necessity for 

 considering more qualities than one whenever 

 selection is made with an eye to the production 

 of a commercially valuable variety of flower or 

 fruit or vegetable, and not merely for the pur- 

 pose of scientific record. 



We have seen this illustrated again and again ; 

 and we have seen also how great are the compli- 

 cations which result when we are called upon to 

 make a selection that will give us not merely one 

 quality merely size or a given color or sugar 

 content but a combination of six or eight 

 or ten qualities, all in superlative measure. 



We have seen that the chance of securing any 

 given combination of qualities decreases at a 



