Correlation and Application of Statistics to Problems of Heredity 133 



PS. Pray do not trouble to reply to this unless you think anything further from me may 

 be of any use. A. 11. W. 



Of course I have referred to the one experiment of zvind ifc no wind as an example, not by 

 any means considering it one of the best experiments. A. R. W. 



It will be seen that Wallace had a due appreciation of the necessity for 

 "large numbers"; he recognised that the true method of approaching these 

 problems was statistical. If the time was ripe for such experimental work 

 forty years ago, what must we consider it now % 



Apparently it was not till 1895 that Galton having got his Committee 

 on the Measurement of Plants and Animals recurred to Wallace's idea of an 

 experimental farm, which Wallace in 1896 termed a "Biological Farm." But 

 a new possibility had arisen, that of acquiring the Darwin house at Down as 

 a station for experimental evolution. Everything was favourable to such 

 a desirable project. The Darwin family were prepared to part with the house 

 for a national purpose on terms which meant a very large contribution 

 from themselves. Galton named a large sum which an anonymous donor 

 was willing to contribute towards the work of experimentation. There can be 

 little doubt that had the scheme been pushed with energy, Down might thirty 

 years ago have been obtained for a purpose urgently necessary and thoroughly 

 in keeping with the spirit of Charles Darwin's work. But a bold scheme 

 only appeals to the bolder minds, and these seemed to be entirely wanting 

 among the men to whom Galton wrote with the hope of engaging their support 

 for the proposed Biological Farm*, as it was termed in the circular issued by 

 Galton on November 30, 1896. I reprint that document here: 



y Royal Society. It was to procure a place where 



investigators could have experiments carried on 



The Committee appointed by the Royal at their own cost, subject, of course, to the per- 



Society, for the Measurement of Plants and mission of the Committee of Management, the 



Animals, proposes to hold an informal meeting cost being, in most cases, defrayed out of grants 



at the Royal Society, on Friday, December 4th, in aid to the investigators, made by the Royal 



at 4 p.m., which they hope you will favour with Society or by the British Association, 



your presence. It is likely that a farm-house with 20 acres 



The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the of suitably varied land, and some running water, 

 propriety of asking aid from the Council of the would amply suffice, so long as the experiments 

 Royal Society in establishing and maintaining were chiefly confined to small animals. The 

 a Biological Farm, to supply materials (mostly farm would be in the charge of a resident care- 

 zoological) appropriate to the investigations on taker under the direct authority of a scientific 

 which the Committee is occupied, and for under- superior, who might hold the office of Secretary 

 taking experiments in breeding during many to the Committee of Management. It would be 

 successive generations for the use of those who his duty to see that their instructions were duly 

 study the causes and conditions of Evolution. carried out. 



The general idea that such a Farm would Independently of the farm, and perhaps 



fulfil, somewhat resembles that which was pre- preliminary to the attempt to raise money for 



sent to the founders of the physical Institute its maintenance, the suggested Committee could 



known as the "Kew Observatory," which has accomplish a very important service in a similar 



been for many years under a Committee of direction, for the performance of which it is 



Management appointed by the Council of the believed that funds would be immediately 



* Meldola, who was throughout warmly in favour of such an institution, actually termed it a 

 "Biometric Station" in December, 1896. 



