EXPERIMENTS ON SELECTION 237 



in the case of the wild carrot circumstances have been 

 quite different, and through selection, artificial of 

 course, he has obtained very precise and interesting 

 results which it may be useful to quote here. 



In 1832, M. de Vilmorin, wishing to obtain from the 

 wild carrot plants with thick and edible roots, planted 

 some seeds of the wild plant. All the plants thus 

 obtained grew quickly and yielded seed, while no 

 root was any better than that of the common wild 

 carrot. He began again in 1833, and among the seeds 

 planted, many were late in germinating and no seed 

 was produced, while some roots were somewhat larger 

 and thicker than usual. These roots he selected and 

 put apart so as to plant them in the following spring, 

 and they yielded seeds in 1834. The seeds were 

 again planted in 1835. Many gave plants with the 

 ordinary wild carrot root, but a rather large proportion 

 (-J-th) yielded plants with thicker roots. The seed of 

 these plants was selected, and planted in 1836. Selec- 

 tion again was performed, so that in 1837 many good 

 roots were obtained. In 1838 and 1839 the process 

 was continued, with the result of yielding a large pro- 

 portion of satisfactory carrots ( T %ths). While acquiring 

 different dimensions, the roots acquired also unusual 

 colour : yellow, lilac, and even red. 



Here we have a good instance of the selective 

 process and of its influence and operation. Another 



