MUTATIONS 521 



From a Cuban strain of Tobacco with the number of leaves on 

 main stem ranging from 14 to 25, new forms have suddenly 

 appeared bearing as many as 80 leaves per plant. These new 

 forms are also taller and later in maturing than the strain from 

 which they arose. These new forms depart widely from the 

 Cuban strain in the average number of leaves per plant, in height 

 of stem, and in time required to mature. They have established 

 new centers around which these characters fluctuate. At the 

 Wisconsin Experiment Station, mutations have been observed in 

 the strain known as the Connecticut Havana Tobacco. In 

 one of the new forms that suddenly appeared the leaves were 

 fewer but longer and more drooping than on the normal type, 

 and also the stalk was shorter and thicker. Another new form 

 was discovered in which the leaves were more numerous, smaller, 

 and more erect than the normal type, and the stem was taller, 

 more slender, but very strong. These new forms breed true, 

 that is, they transmit their distinctively new features to their 

 offspring. Mutations may occur in any of the many characters 

 of both plants and animals and often they involve a number of 

 characters at the same time. 



That new forms sometimes appear at one bound and breed 

 true has long been observed, but until recently mutations have 

 not been regarded as having had an important role in the origin 

 of the numerous species of plants and animals now in existence. 

 In 1791, there appeared among a flock of sheep in Massachusetts 

 a male lamb with long body and short bent legs. This ram bred 

 true to its type and from it there came the Ancon breed of sheep, 

 desirable on account of their inability to jump fences. More 

 recently the Merino, another breed of sheep started from a 

 mutant. Polled Hereford cattle started from a hornless Hereford 

 which appeared in 1889 in a herd of horned Herefords. Among 

 animals there are many other examples of mutations. Among 

 plants many examples have been noted. The Shirley Poppy, 

 noted for its various colors, suddenly appeared among the 

 offspring of the small red Poppy. Dwarf Sweet Peas have 

 originated as mutants from climbing varieties. Kohlrabi, 

 Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts, and other forms of this tribe are 

 supposed to have originated from the Wild Cabbage through 

 mutations (Fig. 470). The Beseler Oats, a beardless variety, 

 originated from a few plants found in a field of bearded Oats. 



