THE FORMATION OF VARIETIES. 189 



By this "proper type," is meant, a type in which the 

 valued character of the individuals is improved, in a 

 special way, and in which the parts not valued are 

 degenerated in a particular way. It has required a 

 great deal of care, and of selection, to fix the individ- 

 uals of a variety, to a certain persistency of type. 

 All of the characters evince an inclination to improve, 

 i. e., to revert; and, if this disposition is not kept 

 down by vigorous weeding out of the " sports," as 

 they are called, the individuals might, it is true, improve 

 in those of their characters which are little developed ; 

 but that is not what the agriculturist, or horticulturist, 

 wants. He desires to keep the variety uniform, so as 

 to make it recognizable ; and he effects this, by requir- 

 ing the individuals of the variety, to adhere strictly to 

 the standard he has formed. Man is jealous, fre- 

 quently, even of an improvement, in the part he 

 values; fearing lest he may not be able to fix the 

 additional improvement, and make a variety; and, 

 apprehensive that the plant may take upon itself to 

 improve, also, in the other characters which he does not 

 desire to have developed. Thus, if a " Bullock's heart " 

 variety of the Cabbage, should present individuals, 

 with an improvement obviously superior to the " Bul- 

 lock's heart" leaf, those individuals would be re- 

 morselessly destroyed ; for, improvement is not so 

 much an object, as a class of individuals which 

 will perpetuate their exact kind. Again, if grain be, 

 for instance, slightly cylindrical in character, the indi- 

 vidual grains, adhering rigidly to the prescribed type, 

 will be valued, and alone preserved. Those departing 

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