U GEOEGE JOHN EOMANES 1875- 



this method by the persistent way in which beets and 

 mangolds refuse to blend when grafted longitudinally. 

 There have thus been no failures with carrots grafted 

 in this way. 



If it is not too late, I may suggest that the 

 passage in the ' Yariation ' about the deformity of the 

 sternum in poultry had better be modified. I have 

 this year tried some experiments upon Brahma 

 chickens, and find that the deformity in question is 

 caused by lazy habits of roosting — the constantly 

 recurring pressure of the roost upon the cartilaginous 

 sternum causing it to yield at the place where the 

 pressure is exerted. The experiments consisted 

 merely in confining some of a brood of young 

 chickens in a place without any roost, and allowing 

 the others to go about with all the March chickens. 

 The former lot have the sternum quite straight, and 

 the latter lot have it deeply notched. 



I write to thank you for the copy of the new 

 edition of the ' Yariation ' which I received a few days 

 ago. I am very glad to see that you have thought 

 my views about rudimentary organs worth a place, 

 and that you speak so well of them. 



The chapter on Pangenesis is admirable. The 

 case is so strong, that it makes me more anxious than 

 ever to get positive results in this year's experiments. 

 I mean there seems less doubt than ever that such 

 results must be obtainable if one hammers long 

 enough. I did not know that there were so many 

 cases of graft-hybridisation in potatoes. Perhaps it 

 will be better this year to give one's main energies to 

 other vegetables. 



