2 MENDELISM 



kept exact records of about 10,000 plants which he had 

 cultivated. He was well versed in other branches of science, 

 especially meteorology. 



Eventually he became president of the Brunn Society 

 of Naturalists. 



In 1866 he published an account of his observations on 

 Peas, but the scientific world of Germany did not appreciate 

 their importance, and no one in England seems to have 

 heard anything about them. His work was indeed lost 

 sight of, until it was re-discovered by Prof. De Vries 

 of Amsterdam about the beginning of the present century. 



In 1902 Prof. Wm. Bateson of Cambridge trans- 

 lated Mendel's monograph into English, and published 

 it under the title Mendel s Principles of Heredity. 



Mendel died in 1884, at the age of sixty-two years. 



That branch of science which Mendel founded is con- 

 cerned with living things — both animals and plants — that 

 is, with Biology. Mendel's work has supplied to Biology 

 a key or guide which may be compared to the mariner's 

 compass ; for, just as by the aid of the compass the mariner 

 is able to take the most direct course from one place to 

 another, so, by following Mendel's method, the biologist is 

 now able to achieve results much more quickly, and with 

 greater certainty than hitherto. 



Mendel's work constitutes "one of the most fascinating 

 chapters in the history of science." It is interesting not 

 only to the theoretical biologist, but will, I believe, before 

 long be recognized as of great economic, commercial and 

 social importance. 



I hope to be able to show that each one of you can, if 

 you like, make observations without cost, and with com- 

 paratively little trouble, by which you may not only test 

 the truth of the laws which I shall explain to you, but you 

 may be able to contribute some useful facts. " Mendel's 



