OBTAINING VARIATIONS 97 



to select these from the others and save their 

 seed. 



So in such a case as that of the balloon-flower, 

 where it is desired to increase three or four quite 

 diflperent qualities — in this case size, beauty of 

 form, manner of placement of blossoms, and 

 intensity and clearness of color — it does not so 

 very greatly matter whether in the early genera- 

 tions one finds the different qualities combined 

 in a single individual, or whether, as is more 

 likely, he finds one individual that is most grace- 

 ful, another that has blossoms placed on the stalk 

 in the best manner, and a third that shows to 

 best advantage as to intensity and clearness of 

 color. 



It is much more probable, in practice, that the 

 second alternative will be the one actually pre- 

 sented. Indeed, it is altogether imlikely, when 

 new qualities, such as these, that have not hith- 

 erto atta-acted the attention of the cultivator of 

 the plant, are in question, that one will find a 

 single individual that surpasses all its fellows as 

 to each quality, though this is sometimes the case. 



In fact, with the balloon-flowers, it was neces- 

 sary to save seed of three or four individuals and 

 search among their progeny in turn the follow- 

 ing season, and make additional selections that 

 involved a number of individuals. 



Vol. 7— Bur. D 



