104 Elementary Species 



tiuence of such alterations will manifest itself 

 in most cases simply in new numerical propor- 

 tions. Only extremes have extreme effects, and 

 the chance for the weaker sorts to be complete- 

 ly overthrown is therefore very small. 



Any one, who has the opportunity of observ- 

 ing a waste field during a series of years, should 

 make notes concerning the numerical propor- 

 tions of its inhabitants. Exact figures are not 

 at all required; approximate estimates will or- 

 dinarily prove to be sufficient, if only the stand- 

 ard remains the same during the succeeding 

 years. 



The entire mass of historic evidence goes to 

 prove that the same conditions have always 

 prevailed, from the very beginning of cultiva- 

 tion up to the present time. The origin of 

 the cultivation of cereals is to be sought in cen- 

 tral Asia. The recent researches of Solms- 

 Laubach show it to be highly probable that the 

 historic origin of the wheat cultivated in China, 

 is the same as that of the wheat of Eg}^pt and 

 Europe. Remains of cereals are found in the 

 graves of Egyptian mummies, in the mounds 

 of waste material of the lake-dwellings of Cen- 

 tral Europe, and figures of cereals are to be 

 seen on old Roman coins. In the sepulchre of 

 King Ra-n-Woser of the Fifth Dynasty of 

 Egypt, who lived about 2000 years B. C, two 



