728 Fluctuations 



dieating the height of their contents, and that, 

 in order to reach a more easy and correct state- 

 ment, the length of the lines may simply be made 

 proportionate to the number of the beans in 

 each glass. If such lines are erected on a com- 

 mon base and at equal distances, the line which 

 unites their upper ends will be the expression of 

 the fluctuating variability of the character under 

 discussion. 



The same inquiry may be made with other 

 seeds, with fruits, or other organs. It is quite 

 superfluous to arrange the objects themselves, 

 and it is sufficient to arrange the figures in- 

 dicating their value. In order to do this a 

 basal line is divided into equal parts, the de- 

 marcations corresponding to the standard-units 

 chosen for the test. The observed values are 

 then written above this line, each finding its 

 place between the two demarcations, which in- 

 clude its value. It is very interesting and 

 stimulating to construct such a group. The 

 first figures may fall here and there, but very 

 soon the vertical rows on the middle part of 

 the basal line begin to increase. Sometimes 

 ten or twenty measurements will suffice to make 

 the line of chance appear, but often indentations 

 will remain. With the increasing number of 

 the observations the irregularities gradually 



