Five-leaved Clover 361 



the first observed aberrant individuals, if gath- 

 ered after sufficient isolation during the period 

 of blossoming, may show which type of in- 

 heritance is present, whether it is an unpromis- 

 ing half-race, or a richly endowed sporting 

 variety. I have kept such strains repeatedly 

 after the first isolation, and a special case, that 

 of cotyledoneous aberrations, will be dealt with 

 later. The first generation always gave a final 

 decision, provided that a suitable method of 

 cultivation for the species under observation 

 was found at the beginning. This however, 

 is a condition, which it is not at all easy to 

 comply with, when new sorts are introduced 

 into a garden. Especially so when they had 

 been collected in the wild state. Often one or 

 two years, sometimes more, are necessary to 

 find the proper method of sowing, manuring, 

 transplanting and other cultural methods satis- 

 factory to the plants. Many wild species re- 

 quire more care and more manure in gardens 

 than the finest garden flowers. And a large 

 number are known to be dependent on very 

 particular conditions of soil. 



One of the most curious features of anom- 

 alies, which has been learned from accumulated 

 instances, is the fact that they obey definite 

 laws as to their occurrence on the different 

 parts of the plant. Obviously such laws are 



