-/8 I \rccding Plants and Animals. 



inants the excellencies of two or more different forms, 

 though as a direct help in breeding its value has not 

 yet been developed except in a general way. But it ha.; 

 done vastly more than that. > It has set many scientists 

 at work making- statistical investigations in the here- 

 dity of living things and at devising better statistical 

 methods of breeding. Mendel separated out a few 

 characters which were not only strongly dominant, but 

 were not too closely interwoven with other character- 

 istics of the species. This gave him the opportunity of 

 studying some fundamental laws. 



But in the ordinary economic plant or animal the 

 desired dominant characteristics are interwoven with 

 a maze of other characteristics. The economic unit 

 per acre or per head is not made up of easily separable 

 dominant units, all of which may be studied. We are 

 all too prone to look at the few characteristics most 

 easily seen or measured rather than to judge broadly of 

 the value of the whole. The value of the variety or 

 breed depends upon how the parts are blended into the 

 artistic or economic whole. 



Breeding is worthy of our brightest minds, as are 

 transportation, manufacture or diplomacy. It seems 

 reasonable to believe that extensive effort will develop 

 this subject as rapidly as it has developed mechanics, 

 theories, our inadequate nomenclature, our stumbling 

 electricity on general business system. Our weak 

 language relating to the complex concepts of heredity 

 and our temerity to enter these subjects are beginning 

 to take on improvements. Many of our college grad- 

 uates should broadly prepare themselves to study the 

 philosophy of breeding and to be leaders in the creation 

 of new values in plants and animals. Country breeder's 

 associations with young men employed by the Govern- 

 ment and State to keep their records and otherwise 

 assist would be a great school in which to train leaders 

 in the theory and practice of breeding. 



These articles have covered such a long period of 



