THE STUDY OF INHERITANCE. 



623 



Not only is this the case, but it may be proved by many ob- 

 servations that the normal or type to which the average children 

 of exceptional parents tend to revert may itself be rapidly 

 modified. 



In proof of this I refer to the following experiments in selec- 

 tion by Fritz Miiller (Ein Zuchtungs-versuch an Mais. Kosmos, 

 1886, 2, i, p. 22) : 



Yellow corn is very variable in many respects. The number 

 of rows of kernels on the cob is usually from eight to sixteen ; 

 cobs with ten or twelve rows being the most common, while one 

 with eighteen or twenty rows is very seldom found. After 

 searching through several hundred cobs Fr. Muller found one ear 

 with eighteen rows, but none with more. 



In 1867 he sowed, at different times, and in such a way as to 

 prevent crossing, (1) seed from the cob with eighteen rows; (2) 

 the seed from the finest sixteen-rowed ear ; and (3) the seed from 

 the finest fourteen-rowed ear. In 1868 he sowed (1) seed from a 

 sixteen-rowed ear which had grown from seed from a sixteen- 

 rowed ear; (2) seed from an eighteen-rowed ear from sixteen- 

 rowed seed ; and (3) seed from an eighteen-rowed ear from eight- 

 een-rowed seed. In 1869 he sowed (1) seed from an eighteen- 

 rowed ear with eighteen-rowed parents and grandparents ; (2) 

 seed from a twenty- rowed ear with eighteen-rowed parents and 

 grandparents ; and (3) seed from a twenty-two-rowed ear from 

 seed from an eighteen-rowed ear produced from seed from a six- 

 teen-rowed ear. The results are given in the accompanying 

 table : 



It will be seen from this table that the number of ears with 

 few rows decreases very rapidly in plants grown from seed taken 



