Stability and Real Atavism 163 



all such usages. So for instance there are num- 

 erous flowers which are of a dark red or a dark 

 blue color, and which, besides a white variety, 

 have a pink or a pale blue form. Such pale 

 varieties are of exactly the same value as others, 

 and on testing they are found to be equally 

 stable. So for instance the pink variety of the 

 Sweet William (Silene Armeria rosea), the 

 Clarkia pulchella carnea and the pale variety 

 of the corn-cockle, called usually Agrostemma 

 Githago nicaeensis or even simply A. nicaeensis. 

 The latter variety I found pure during ten suc- 

 ceeding generations. Another notable stable 

 intermediate form is the poppy bearing the 

 Danish flag {Papaver somniferum Danebrog). 

 It is an old variety, and absolutely pure when 

 cultivated separately. A long list of other in- 

 stances might easily be given. 



Many garden-varieties, that are still univer- 

 sally prized and cultivated are very old. It is 

 curious to note how often such forms have been 

 introduced as novelties. The common fox- 

 glove is one of the best examples. It has a mon- 

 strous variety, which is very showy because it 

 bears on the summit of its raceme and branches, 

 large erect cup-shaped flowers, which have quite 

 a different aspect from the normal thimble- 

 shaped side-blossoms. These flowers are or- 

 dinarily described as belonging to the anomaly 



