104 THE ORIGIN OF MONOCOTYLEDONS [CHAP.XI. 



in my book, " The Origin of Plant Structures, 

 by Self - Adaptation to the Environment," 

 published thirteen years ago : 



" It would not avail anything to add extra 

 chapters on other parallel lines of evidence, such 

 as the origin of depauperised states of parasitic 

 and saprophytic plants, etc., materials for which 

 I have at hand ; l for if a reader be not con- 

 vinced of the truth of my contention with the 

 amount of evidence herein brought forward, he 

 would probably remain unconvinced, however 

 much might be added. 



" On the other hand, I trust that the majority, 

 if not all of my readers, will accept the con- 

 clusion that the Origin of Species is due to 

 the joint action alone of the two great factors 

 of evolution Variability and Environment 

 without the aid of natural selection ; although we 

 are, and are likely to remain, profoundly ignorant 

 of the mysterious process (of Response] within 

 the organism by which it is effected." 



Even Dr Weismann contends that : 



" We are driven to the conclusion that the 

 ultimate origin of hereditary individual differences 

 lies in the direct action of external influences 

 upon the organism." 2 



1 That is why I have introduced them in this book. 



2 Essays on Heredity, etc. Eng. Trans., p. 279. 



