THE AMARYLLIS 267 



to develop. And he is able, through selection of 

 plants for his new matings, and through selec- 

 tion among the seedlings of the ones from which 

 to save seeds, to direct the currents of heredity 

 into desired channels. 



As I have elsewhere phrased it, the plant 

 experimenter becomes an effective part of the 

 environment. He becomes the most important 

 agent in that process of selective breeding 

 through which the evolution of new forms of 

 plant life is brought about. 



In the present instance the tendency to varia- 

 tion that was manifested from the outset was 

 accentuated generation after generation until, 

 after about twelve years of work, I had a colony 

 of mixed hybrids showing wide departures from 

 any of the ancestral forms. 



Some of the new forms had extremely large 

 bulbs, and grew plants of exceptional strength, 

 bearing blossoms of unusual size. 



Of course I had selected for strong stalks, 

 broad leaves, and abundant bearing and for 

 rapid production of bulbs and ready growth, as 

 well as for large flowers with wide petals of 

 brilliant colors. 



The original species had usually borne small 

 bulbs, and put out only two or three offset bulbs 

 in a season. 



