358 Ever-sporting Varieties 



the individuals with the largest numbers a 

 tendency to become double would be evolved. 

 Such, however, was not the case. No propen- 

 sity to vary in any definite direction could be 

 observed. Quite on the contrary, an average 

 condition was quickly reached, and then re- 

 mained constant, strongly counteracting all 

 selection. 



Such experiences clearly show that the same 

 anomaly may occur in different species, and no 

 doubt in strains of the same species from dif- 

 ferent localities, according to at least two dif- 

 ferent standards. The one is to be called the 

 poor, and the other the rich variety. The first 

 always produces relatively few instances of the 

 deviation, the last is apt to give as many of them 

 as desired. The first is only half-way a variety, 

 and therefore would deserve the name of a half- 

 race ; the second is not yet a full constant vari- 

 ety, but always fluctuates to and fro between the 

 varietal and the specific mark, ever-sporting in 

 both directions. It holds a middle position be- 

 tween a half-race and a variety, and there- 

 fore might be called a " middle-race." But 

 the term ever-sporting variety seems more ade- 

 quate to convey a right idea of the nature of 

 this curious type of inheritance. 



From this discussion it will be seen that the 

 behavior of the crimson clover is not to be con- 



