296 Plant Life and Evolution 



troduced plants, like the weeds, would show much 

 the same differences as a result of adaptation to 

 the new climatic conditions, but it is not likely 

 that these differences would be nearly so marked as 

 in the cultivated species, which are notoriously 

 variable. 



While from very early times superior forms of 

 fruits and flowers, which may have arisen by 

 chance, were selected for cultivation, deliberate at- 

 tempts to produce new forms by crossing, or special 

 methods of cultivation and selection, seem to have 

 been first practised towards the end of the i8th 

 century. It is highly probable, however, that the 

 Japanese and Chinese, who are such skilful horti- 

 culturists, practised this art long before scientific 

 methods arose in Europe and America, but reliable 

 information on this point is difficult to secure. The 

 importance of selecting the best type of seed, in 

 order to maintain an excellence in any strain, has 

 been recognized from very early times, but that 

 man is able to actually create new forms of life 

 was not realized until quite recently. 



Early European Plant-Breeders. Among the ear- 

 liest European horticulturists who worked along 

 really scientific lines, there were two whose experi- 

 ments were made during the latter part of the i8th 

 century and the early part of the igth century. 

 These two men, Van Mons in Belgium and Knight 

 in England, developed systems of plant-breeding 

 which resulted in the production of many valuable 



