190 THE FORMATION OF VARIETIES. 



from the regular shape, or form, will be mercilessly 

 proscribed ; and, if the leaves, or other portions of the 

 plant (the flowers, for instance), should attempt to im- 

 prove, and to revert to the original type, subsisting before 

 the degeneration, under nature, occurred ; the agricul- 

 turist would be almost transfixed with horror, at such 

 audacity. He adheres most religiously, to the belief 

 that plants were made for his use ; but the trouble is, 

 that he, on the whole, defeats such use, by the manner 

 in which he uses the bounty vouchsafed him. 

 Darwin says (p. 242, Vol. ii) : 



"The finest shades of difference, in wheat, have 

 been discriminated, and selected with * * * 

 much care." 



The seeds only, in this species, are attended to. 

 The leaves, flowers, &c, are all disproportionately 

 developed. In fact, the further the exclusive improve- 

 ment of the seed is carried, the more the true, normal 

 relation of the parts, is violated. Darwin may well 

 assert that " Sterility is the bane of horticulture," when 

 all plants are cultivated upon a vicious system, entail- 

 ing a most abnormal coordination of the parts of the 

 species." 



"Compare," says Darwin (p. 34, Origin of Species), 

 " the diversity of Flowers, in the different varieties of 

 the same species, in the flower-garden; the diversity 

 of leaves, pods, or tubers, or whatever part is valued, 

 in comparison with the flowers of the same varieties; 

 and the diversity of the fruit of the same species in the 

 orchard, in comparison with the leaves and flowers of 

 the same set of varieties. See how different the leaves 

 of the Cabbage are, and how extremely alike the 



