LUTHER BURBANK 



To me it seems quite clear that the ohserved 

 divergencies between the European and the Jap- 

 anese daisy are to be explained precisely in this 

 way. I know of no other explanation that has any 

 semblance of plausibility. 



It is my personal belief that every trait 

 acquired by any organism through the influence 

 of its environment becomes a part of the condition 

 of the organism that tends to reproduce itself 

 through inheritance. 



In other words I entertain no doubt that all 

 acquired traits of every kind are transmissible as 

 more or less infinitesimal tendencies to the off- 

 spring of the organism. 



But it would not do to dismiss the subject 

 without adverting to the fact that there are many 

 biologists who dispute the possibility of the trans- 

 mission of acquired traits. Indeed one of the most 

 ardent controversies of recent years has had to do 

 with that point; and doubtless many readers who 

 are not biologists have had their attention called 

 to this controversy and perhaps have received 

 assurance that traits acquired by an individual 

 organism are not transmitted. 



I shall not here enter into any details of the 

 controversy, although doubtless we shall have 

 occasion to revert to it. But it is well to clarify the 

 subject in the mind of the reader here at the 



[30] 



